박근혜 대통령 당선인은 새누리당 황우여 대표와 민주통합당 문희상 비상대책위원장와의 긴급3자안보회동에서 “북한이 무모한 행동을 하기 전에 여야가 한 목소리로, 북한이 이것을 즉각 중단하고 올바른 선택을 하도록 강력하게 촉구할 때”라고 강조했다.

박 당선인은 북한의 3차 핵실험을 대책을 논의하기 위한 여야 3자 회동에서 “북한이 이번에 잘못된 선택을 하게 된다면 새 정부가 한반도 신뢰 프로세스를 통해서 남북 간에 신뢰를 구축하고 지속 가능한 평화를 이루려고 하는 진정 어린 노력을 크게 저해할 것”이라고 말했다.

이어 박 당선인은 “북한은 핵을 가지고 그 어떤 것도 얻을 수 없다”며 “오히려 국제사회의 경고에도 불구하고 핵실험을 강행한다면 6자 회담 당사국은 물론 유엔, 국제사회, 정부로부터 어떤 강력한 대응에 직면하게 되고 북한은 더욱 고립을 자초하게 될 뿐이라고 생각한다”고 밝혔다,

또한 박 당선인은 “우리나라는 정부 교체기에 있는데 이럴 때에 우리 국민이 불안하지 않도록 도발에 대응하기 위해서는 우리가 최대한의 외교적 노력을 기울이고 강력한 억지력으로 우리 안보에 한치의 오차도 없이 대비해 나가야 한다”고 주문했다.

이에 민주통합당 문희상 비상대책위원장은 “안보에는 여야가 없다고 우리 셋이 만나서 근본적인 문제에 대해 의견을 나눈다는 것은 굉장히 소중하다. 전 세계에 우리는 한결같이 안보에 관해서는 여야가 일치된 견해를 갖고 있다는 것을 알릴 필요도 있다고 생각했다”며 여야 공조에 공감했다.

북한이 예고한 3차 핵실험은 기정사실로 받아들여지고 있다. 2006년과 2009년 핵실험이 진행 됐던 풍계리 실험장에서 활발한 움직임이 포착되는 등 북한의 핵실험이 임박했다는 징후들이 나타나고 있기 때문이다.

박 당선인의 당선 이후 처음으로 여야 대표를 만나는 자리로 대통령 당선인이 취임하는 뒤의 여러 일에 대해 논의하기도 했다.

여야 대표와의 자리에 이명박 대통령이 참석하지 않음에 아쉬움을 토로하기도 했다.

“북한의 핵 관련 이슈를 논의할 때 이명박 대통령, 박근혜 대통령 당선인과 여야 대표가 참석하는 한반도 평화 실현을 위한 4자 회담이 합리적이고 맞는 실정인 것 같다”고 민주통합당의 대변인 박영진이 말했다. 

민주통합당은 6일 4자회담을 제안했지만 박 당선인의 제안에 따라 이번에는 3자회담에 참석하기로 했다.

12월 대통령 선거에서 참패를 맛본 민주통합당은 한반도 평화 실현을 위한 ‘연평도 선언’을 연평도를 방문해 발표했다.


Park, parties urge N.K. to stop nuclear threat

By Lee Joo-hee

President-elect Park Geun-hye and the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties strongly urged North Korea to immediately halt its nuclear test plan in their first emergency trilateral meeting Thursday.

Park, Saenuri Party chairman Hwang Woo-yea and Democratic United Party interim leader Moon Hee-sang affirmed in a statement North Korea’s nuclear armament will not be tolerated and that any attempt will be met with the strong measures from the members of the six-party talks, the U.N. and the international community.

The three also urged the North to abide by all the U.N. Security Council resolutions and uphold its promise to denuclearize for an improved inter-Korean relations and the sustainable peace on the Korean peninsula.

In the statement, the three also agreed on their partnership in state affairs and to cooperate on imminent issues related to the people’s livelihood without condition, and to implement their common pledges made during the presidential election.

The rare pan-partisan cooperation among the three showed the urgency of the security situation on the Korean peninsula amid Pyongyang’s imminent third nuclear test strongly opposed by the international community.

Pyongyang has reportedly completed preparations for its nuclear test at its Punggye-ri site, where two previous tests were carried out in 2006 and 2009. The nuclear threat also follows the North’s successful launch of a rocket with a potential range of about 10,000 km in December.

“If North Korea makes the wrong choice this time, it will undermine the new government’s sincere effort to forge trust between the two Koreas and achieve sustainable peace through the peace-building process,” Park said in an opening speech at the meeting.

Park’s “trustpolitik” approach to the North, in which inter-Korean cooperation would be promoted in steps based on a trust-building process, was seen to face an impending hurdle upon North Korea’s nuclear threat.

“It is time for the rivaling parties to strongly urge the North in unison before the North takes any reckless action to suspend (the test plan) immediately and make the right choice,” Park said.

Park reiterated the North will gain nothing through nuclear weapons and that it will face strong measures from the members of the six-party talks, the U.N. and the international community thereby further isolating itself.

The three leaders agreed to closely cooperate to counter any provocation by the North and called on the government and the military to maintain firm national security.

During the meeting the DUP’s interim leader Moon expressed consensus with Park and said “It is valuable for the three of us to gather and discuss our views, as in terms of security there is no ruling or opposition force. It also shows the world that we stand the same on security and also tells the North that it should not misjudge.”

Saenuri Party chairman Hwang expressed consensus and said effective measures should be considered.

The three’s gathering, the first since Park’s election, was also expected to be the start of a joint session between the incoming government and the political parties to discuss pending national matters as pledged by Park during her election.

Park currently needs the rivaling parties’ cooperation in getting her new government organization plan and the nominations of Cabinet members approved by the National Assembly.

The DUP, currently undergoing a major makeover upon the December election defeat, has been stepping up its security-oriented campaign, such as by declaring a statement for peace and security during the leadership’s visit to Yeonpyeong Island on Wednesday.

The DUP, however, also expressed regret over the absence of President Lee Myung-bak from the meeting.

“When it comes to a meeting about North Korea’s nuclear issue, it is a more reasonable and proper approach to conduct a four-way meeting gathering the incumbent chief commander of national security President Lee Myung-bak and succeeding leader Park Geun-hye, along with the representatives of the political parties to support their agreement and decision,” said DUP spokesman Park Yong-jin.

The DUP had proposed Park the four-way meeting on Wednesday but decided to attend the three-way meeting as suggested by the president-Park for now.
(jhl@heraldcorp.com)