Professor`s defense of Kim Jong-Il stirs up controversy

A university professor working for the ruling party sparked a controversy by claiming that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is not responsible for the 1950-1953 Korean War. Prof. Hwang Tae-Yon of Dongguk University, a deputy director of the National Management Strategy Research Institute of the Millennium Democratic Party, said the Korean War broke out when Kim was a child and Kim is not responsible for it. Therefore, there is no reason for him to offer an apology for the fratricidal war, the professor argued.

Hwang made the controversial remarks during a symposium on The Impact of Kim Jong-Il`s Upcoming Visit to Seoul, which was hosted by the 21st Northeast Asia Peace Forum, a research group of ruling and opposition lawmakers. Hwang noted in a lecture that there are disputes on the issue of whether Kim should offer an apology during his Seoul visit for the Korean War and the terrorist attack on a KAL airplane. Hwang said there is no evidence that Kim masterminded the bombing of the KAL plane and that it is impossible to reinvestigate the case now. Crimes like terrorist attacks on passenger airplanes do not require apologies or forgiveness, but should be handled according to international laws. He said they should be prosecuted through established legal procedures.

As for the opposition party`s claim that Kim should apologize for the KAL incident, Hwang claimed that such a demand is not only absurd, requiring that South Korea forgive him if he apologizes, but comes from an ignorance of international laws. Laying aside the issue of whether Kim should apologize for the Korean War and KAL bombing for the time being would help make the second inter-Korean summit a success and help pave the way for the conclusion of a peace treaty, the professor added.

Commenting on the dispute over Seoul`s definition of Pyongyang as its ``primary enemy,`` Hwang said that the concept should be maintained for the time being because deletion of the term would be premature when a decisive turning point for mutual military trust has yet to be reached.

On the outlook for the second inter-Korean summit, he said that chances are good that the two leaders would adopt a peace declaration. Hwang added that the two sides have already apparently had secret contacts on this issue.

He said that if the two sides agree on the declaration, it would be an epoch-making development in that North Korea would officially accept the logic that South Korea rather than the United States should be the key party to the declaration.

Kim Chang-Hyuk chang@donga.com