N. Koreans Brothers, Roh Says in Peace Move : Seoul Reports It's Ready for Diplomatic Thaw, Exchanges, Economic Ties, Eventual Unification

By KARL SCHOENBERGER

July 7, 1988 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

SEOUL — In a gesture that could significantly ease tension on the divided Korean Peninsula, South Korean President Roh Tae Woo has proclaimed a major policy shift that rehabilitates Koreans in the Communist north from bitter foes to brothers of those in the south.

Roh, issuing a special declaration today, said the Seoul government now is prepared to put aside Cold War animosities in favor of humanitarian exchanges, a diplomatic thaw, economic ties and, eventually, peaceful reunification with North Korea.

Roh’s remarks, made public in English translation Wednesday, contained little in the way of specific proposals to resolve his government’s standoff with Pyongyang. But they stood in bold contrast to the spiteful rhetoric that has characterized the limited dialogue between the two Koreas for more than four decades.

‘Age of Reconciliation’

“Today the world is entering an age of reconciliation and cooperation, transcending ideologies and political systems,” Roh said, referring to improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Union, major allies of Seoul and Pyongyang.

“A brave new tide of openness and exchange is engulfing peoples of different historical and cultural backgrounds,” he continued. “I believe we have now come to a historical moment when we should be able to find a breakthrough toward a lasting peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula, which is still fraught with the danger of war amidst persisting tension and confrontation.”

Roh’s declaration followed widespread protests early last month by dissident South Korean university students demanding that they be allowed to march to the demilitarized zone to hold talks with students from the north. The government suppressed the march but has since indicated that it would like to sponsor its own student and cultural exchanges.

A new atmosphere of openness has allowed unusually frank public debate on the reunification issue recently, and opposition leaders made an array of proposals for improved north-south ties in speeches last week before the National Assembly.

Yet relations remain frigid as South Korea prepares to host the Olympic Games in September after rejecting as unreasonable Pyongyang’s demands to be co-host. Much attention has been paid to the threat of terrorism since the government blamed the north for bombing a Korean Air jetliner and killing the 120 people on board last November.

It is almost certainly too late to persuade North Korea to abandon its Olympics boycott and send competitors here in September, officials said. And in any event, Pyongyang is not expected to respond immediately to Roh’s new attitude. In the past, North Korea has insisted that withdrawal of U.S. troops from the south be a condition for any progress in reunification talks. Roh did not mention foreign troops in his declaration.

“The ball is now in their court,” a ranking government official said. “This is a major emotional and psychological change on our part. We are no longer going to antagonize the North Koreans--we are going to embrace them as our brothers.”

Kim Chang Soon, director of Seoul’s Institute of North Korean Studies, a private organization, said Roh’s rhetorical gesture may catch Pyongyang off guard. It would be difficult for the north to respond unfavorably without further isolating itself in the international community, he said.

A desire to see North Korea emerge from its isolation and establish bilateral relations with Seoul’s allies is a cornerstone of Roh’s declaration. Seoul in recent months has been exploring economic and cultural ties with East Bloc countries. Roh said the south will no longer oppose contact between Pyongyang and the United States or Japan.

Informal Contacts Encouraged

South Korea’s diplomats will be encouraged to make informal contacts with their northern counterparts in international forums to bring an end to “counterproductive diplomacy characterized by competition and confrontation,” Roh said.

He said South Korea will no longer object to trade between its allies and Pyongyang and will attempt to establish its own trade with the north, which it will consider “internal trade within the national community.” Previous talks on establishing such economic ties--bartering North Korean coal for South Korean rice and consumer goods--broke down in 1985.

“Trade has to be the first step in reintegrating people’s lives on the peninsula,” Kim said. “They may not be able to reunite the country politically, but economic ties can lay the groundwork for progress.”

Roh proposed resuming visits between Korean families separated when the country was divided at the 38th Parallel at the end of World War II, and when Koreans fought a civil war from 1950 to 1953. In 1985, 50 families from each side were allowed to cross the demilitarized zone to search for relatives.

The Seoul government now will permit South Korean nationals living abroad to visit the north, a change that would affect many Koreans in Japan and the United States. Roh also repeated promises to promote north-south exchanges of politicians, businessmen, journalists, religious leaders, artists, athletes, academics and students.

“I believe that if the entire 60 million Korean people pool their wisdom and strength,” he declared, “the south and the north will be integrated into a single social, cultural and economic community before this century is out.”