“설명절부터 서해 5개섬을 포함해 모든 적대행위를 전면 중단하자는 제안의 실천적 행동을 먼저 보여주겠다.”
북한이 지난 16일 국방위원회 명의의 ‘중대제안’을 다시 한번 강조하는 기자회견을 UN본부에서 가졌다. 신선호 유엔 주재 북한 대사는 24일(미동부시간) 유엔본부에서 기자회견을 열고 남북관계 개선을 위한 실천적 조치 등 3개항 제안을 받아들일 것을 주장하며 “제안의 실현을 위해 우리는 실천적인 행동을 먼저 보여주게 될 것”이라고 밝혔다.
신선호 대사는 미리 준비한 회견문을 통해 “오늘 회견은 지난 16일 발표한 국방위원회의 중대제안과 관련한 우리의 원칙적 입장에 대해 언급하려 한다”고 운을 떼었다. 신대사는 ▲ 남북관계개선 분위기 마련 ▲ 모든 군사적 적대행위 전면중지 ▲ 한반도 핵재난을 막기 위한 실제적 조치 등 3개항을 강조했다.
그는 “올해가 상호 비방과 모든 형태의 심리전을 중지하기로 한 ‘6.4합의’ 10돐이 되는 해로 민족앞에 서약한 합의를 존중한다면 (남한이) 우리의 제의를 받아들이지 못할 이유가 없을 것”이라고 말했다.
이어 “2월말 시작되는 키리졸브 등 한미군사합동훈련부터 중단하는 정책적 결단을 내려야 할 것”이라고 강조했다. 이어 “미국과의 군사훈련이 버릴 수 없는 소중한 것이라면 그것을 조선반도의 영토와 영해 영공을 멀리 벗어난 한적한 곳이나 미국에 건너가 벌려 놓으라는 것이 우리의 입장”이라고 덧붙였다.
이와 함께 한반도 비핵화는 민족의 공동목표라고 전제하면서도 “우리 핵무력은 미국의 핵위협과 공갈을 종식시키고 세계의 비핵화까지 내다본 민족공동의 보검이며 가장 정당한 자위적인 선택”이라고 주장했다.
신선호 대사는 이날 ‘남북관계를 화해의 분위기로 몰아가기 위한 인내성있는 노력’의 증거로 지난 16일의 ‘중대 제안’의 발표 주체를 강조해 눈길을 끌었다. 그는 “조국평화통일위원회가 주관하던 것을 이번에는 국가최고기관인 국방위원회에서 한 것은 그 어떤 압력을 가하자는 것이 아니라 남조선이 심중하게 받아들이고 북남관계 개선을 위한 진정한 태도를 보이게 하자는 것”이라고 부연 설명했다.
이날 회견은 오전 11시 5분경 UN 브리핑룸에서 신선호 대사와 김영성 참사, 김은철 2등서기관이 배석한 가운데 시작됐다. 신선호 대사는 미리 준비한 영문 원고를 15분 가량 읽은 후 CNN 기자 등 세명의 질문을 받았으나 일문일답이 아니라 한꺼번에 뭉뚱그려 원칙적인 입장만을 밝혔다.
신선호 대사는 “여러분의 질문은 오늘 발표한 회견문과 조선중앙통신을 통한 발표들을 종합하면 답을 찾을 수 있을 것”이라는 말을 남기며 영문과 한글 회견문을 배포한 후 몰려든 기자들의 추가 질문에 응하지 않고 사라졌다.
회견문 제목은 ‘북남관계를 개선하고 민족적 화해와 단합을 이룩하려는 것은 우리 군대와 인민의 변함없는 립장’이라는 두줄 제목과 함께 ‘2014년 1월 16일 발표된 조선민주주의인민공화국 국방위원회 중대제안과 관련한 유엔주재 조선민주주의인민공화국 상임대표의 기자회견 발언문’이라는 중간 제목이 달려 있었다.
이날 회견은 24일 국방위원회 이름으로 남한에 보내는 공개서한을 통해 지난 16일 내놓은 ‘중대제안’이 위장평화공세가 아니라고 밝힌 조선중앙통신의 보도와 이산가족상봉 행사를 전격 제의한데 이어 열려 많은 미디어의 주목을 받았으나 6자회담 등에 관한 구체적인 내용은 없었으며 기존 입장을 되풀이하는데 그쳤다.
다만 “설 명절을 기해 실천적인 행동을 먼저 보일 것”을 강조함에 따라 이산가족 상봉제안에 이은 어떤 구체적인 조치가 뒤따를지 관심이 모아지고 있다.
UN본부=노창현특파원 newsroh@gmail.com
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北 신선호UN대사 영어회견문
It is the Invariable Stand of The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea To Improve the Inter-Korean Relations and Achieve National Reconciliation and Unity
Briefing by
H.E. Mr. Sin Son Ho, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations
With regards to the Proposals made by The National Defence Commission of the DPRK January 24, 2014
I have organized today’s press conference to brief you on our principled stands with regard to the important proposals made by the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 16th January 2014.
As is already known, the respected Marshall KIM JONG UN, FIRST CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL DEFENCE COMMISSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA has warmly called upon in his historic New Year’s Address for 2014 to bring about a favorable atmosphere for improving the relations between the north and the south of Korea and ensuring the peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region.
The National Defence Commission of the DPRK in this connection has made the following proposals to the south Korean authorities upon authorization of the government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK.
First, we propose taking practical measures in hearty response to the warm call for creating a favorable atmosphere for improving the north-south relations.
It is the invariable stand of the army and people of the DPRK to mend the north-south relations and achieve national reconciliation and unity.
Therefore we officially propose the south Korean authorities to take a practical measure of halting all acts of provoking and slandering the other side from January 30, a day before the Lunar New Year's Day.
This year is a significant year marking the 10th anniversary of the "June 4 agreement" in which the north and the south agreed to stop all forms of slanders and psychological warfare in the spirit of the historic June 15 joint declaration.
If south Korea respects this agreement it signed, there won’t be any reason whatsoever for it not to accept our proposal.
If the south Korean authorities have true intent for improving the north-south relations, they should definitely end the vicious cycle of slandering and hatred that are harmful to all and listen to the voices of the fellow countrymen calling for reconciliation of the nation.
Second, we propose taking a practical step of halting all hostile military acts against the other side in response to the historic call for ensuring the security and peace of the nation.
Even minor and accidental conflict can immediately lead to an all-out war on the Korean peninsula. This is a stark reality today. Any war on the Korean peninsula will help big powers fish in troubled waters and bring unimaginable destruction to Koreans.
Therefore, we again propose immediately and unconditionally halting all military and hostile acts targeting the fellow countrymen in collusion with outsiders.
For the present the south Korean authorities should take a crucial political decision of canceling Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises which they plan to stage from the end of February under the pretext of "annual and defensive drills".
If the "coordination" and "cooperation" with the U.S. are so precious and valuable, they had better hold the exercises in the secluded area or in the U.S. far away from the territorial land, sea and air of the Korean peninsula. This is the stand of the DPRK.
Explicitly speaking, the DPRK will never take military acts with outsiders detrimental to the nation's security and peace in the future, either, as in the past.
We specially propose stopping all acts provoking the other side on the ground and in the sea and air including five islands in the West Sea, hot spots where both sides are in acute show-down, leveling their guns at each other.
The DPRK side will show its practical action first for the realization of this proposal.
Third, we propose taking practical measures to be beneficial to each other to prevent a nuclear holocaust from being inflicted on the Korean peninsula.
The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a goal common to the nation. This is also the invariable will of the army and people of the DPRK.
The possession of nuclear weapons and the pursuance of the line on simultaneously pushing forward economic construction and buildup of a nuclear force are a treasured sword common to the nation and the most just option for self-defense which aims at ending the nuclear threat and blackmail against all Koreans by the U.S. and envisages the Korean peninsula and the rest of the world free from nuclear weapons.
Our nuclear force serves as a means for deterring the U.S. from posing a nuclear threat. It will never be a means for blackmailing the fellow countrymen and doing harm to them.
We courteously propose the south side not to resort to reckless acts of bringing dangerous nuclear strike means of the U.S. to south Korea and to areas around it.
It is the stand of the DPRK to resolutely break with the double-dealing stand of tolerating nuclear weapons of outsiders which are harmful to the fellow countrymen while denying the nuclear weapons of fellow countrymen which protect the nation.
These crucial proposals reflect the desire and wish of all the Koreans to reject outsiders and bring earlier the independent reunification, peace and prosperity of the nation from the standpoint of By Our Nation Itself.
The inter-Korean relations are very significant in the development of the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and it is only when the relations are settled that the peace and security on the Korean peninsula and its vicinity are ensured with the way forward wide-open.
Many countries are now talking about the peace and security on the Korean peninsula. Our principled proposals true to their meaning are the first step to that end.
In improving the relations between the north and the south and ensure the peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region, it is imperative to halt slandering, stop hostile military acts between the both of sides and create climate of reconciliation.
We do not want to see the north-south relations compelled into critical tension. We are patiently making every effort to drive the relations between the north and the south towards the reconciling mood.
That is why the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, the supreme organ of state has made such proposals which are related to the inter-Korean affairs belonging to the mandate of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.
The proposals made by our supreme organ of state are not aiming at putting pressure on the south Korean authorities. It is for south Korea to take our proposals seriously and have a sincere attitude toward improving the north-south relations.
It is our position that the international community should no longer permit the United States and south Korea to carry on their dangerous military joint exercises on the Korean peninsula.
We remind once again that even minor and accidental conflict can immediately lead to an all-out war. This is a stark reality on the Korean peninsula.
We never want to see things fall out of control and plunge into unimaginable disaster.
The United States and south Korea are now misleading the public opinion as if the present stalemate and hostility in the inter-Korean relations are due to the DPRK.
They are deliberately creating tension by fabricating non-existent “state of emergency”, “provocations” and “threats” from the DPRK. Defiant of the demands of the international community for the peace and security on the Korean peninsula, the United States and south Korea are even planning to stage aggressive Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises against the DPRK, deceiving the world under the pretext of "annual and defensive exercises" from the end of February.
The annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises are undeniably war games of invasion into and nuclear war drills against the DPRK in their nature and size when you look at the massive arms buildup of all kinds of weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons and most sophisticated war machines of army, navy and air forces being deployed by the United States into south Korea.
If the United States and south Korea dare to move into such dangerous war games again on the Korean peninsula which is the hottest spot in the world, they will never escape from responsibility for undermining the peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region.
Nor will they escape from the due strong condemnations of the DPRK and international community which keep steadfast towards the peace and development.
It is the consistent policy and invariable will of the DPRK to defend the peace and security on the Korean peninsula.
The DPRK has been making every effort to realize the various practical proposals which it advanced in order to end the instable armistice system and build the permanent peace regime on the Korean peninsula. The current proposals made by the National Defence Commission are a part of the sincere efforts of the DPRK to prevent another war and defend the security and peace of the entire Korean nation.
If the south Korean authorities sincerely value the peace and security on the Korean peninsula, they should take our principled proposals seriously and respond positively with practical actions.
In conclusion, I wish all of you have a good understanding of the important proposals made by the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and the current situation on the Korean peninsula. I hope you will fulfill your noble duties as journalists representing the voice of mankind opposing war and aggression and love peace and justice for the improvement of the inter-Korean relations and the peace and security on the Korean peninsula.
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