Pres. Lee Urges Humanitarian Cooperation From N.Korea

President Lee Myung-bak yesterday urged North Korea to cooperate on humanitarian matters, saying the problems of prisoners of war, separated Korean families and kidnap victims remain unresolved.

In a speech at a Memorial Day ceremony in Seoul, President Lee also said, “(The government) will not fail to realize its will on the unlimited duty of a nation to take responsibility for those who sacrificed themselves for their country.”

“First-generation prisoners of war and separated families have aged and are now in their 70s and 80s. The government will do its best to allow contacts with their separated families and return to their homeland as they have long dreamed of.”

On inter-Korean relations, the president said, “Both Koreas have continued to talk and conduct exchanges, and I think the progress we have made is significant, though unsatisfactory.”

“I consider positive North Korea’s cooperation with the international community to denuclearize itself. I also believe South and North Korea must seriously talk about the projects being promoted or those that will be in the future.”