July 10, 2006 :: The Chosun Ilbo (S. Korea) :: News
In recent days, the South Korean government has attempted to downplay the significance of North Korea’s recent missile tests. Lee Baek-man, public relations secretary to South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun, yesterday issued a statement saying that North Korea’s actions “should not be made into a national security crisis” even though some may try to make it so “for political motives.” The statement noted that the missiles launched by Pyongyang on Wednesday were “not designed to target anyone in particular,” and warned against “making a fuss like Japan.” Suh Choo-suk, the senior presidential secretary for security policy, attempted to clarify this statement by saying that President Roh is trying “not to exaggerate the security tensions the North’s missile launches have created in the eyes of the public.”
Two major South Korean dailies, Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo, however, have strongly criticized President Roh and his government for what they view as an extremely weak response to North Korea’s missile tests. Chosun Ilbo, the largest newspaper in the South Korea, referred to its government’s actions as “effectively disregarding the military threat altogether.” Some critics observed that such actions “fits in only too well with the government’s policy of not provoking the North at whatever cost.” Dong-A Ilbo noted that Pyongyang’s Nodong and Scud missiles, all of which are capable of striking South Korea with nuclear warheads, are more threatening to Seoul than to Washington or Toyko and therefore warrant a commensurate level of condemnation, which has not yet materialized. (Article)
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