Reaching out to the north is high on Kim's priority list and represents a major departure from his predecessors' policies. Kim has even floated the idea of a summit between him and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. But critics say there should be no rush toward direct talks and that the government should instead give priority to addressing the economic emergency at home. The economic crisis must be a priority before pursuing the northern policy. We must learn from past experiences where any rush to the north never worked,'' it said.
Sceptics say dealing with Pyongyang, whether politically or commercially, has never been easy.
In 1991, the two Koreas signed an accord on reconciliation, non- aggression, exchanges and cooperation, a landmark agreement which however, remains good only in paper. Both Koreas are plagued by domestic woes. The north is tottering on the brink of starvation, after a series of droughts and flooding ravaged its food production. The south, which till recently was the 11th strongest economy in the world, is working to rebuild an economy that had collapsed under the weight of bankrupt financial institutions and heavily indebted companies. Tens of thousands of South Korean workers have been thrown out of their jobs as factories and other businesses struggle to keep afloat.