'Opportunity' for better ROK-DPRK ties

SEOUL - The Republic of Korea (ROK) sees an opportunity for better relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as its new leader takes power, ROK President Lee Myung-bak said on Monday.

Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, visits the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su 105 Guards Tank Division to deliver his New Year wishes to the unit on Sunday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lee, in a televised New Year address, said the peninsula's political situation "is at a turning point. But there are new opportunities in the changes and uncertainties."

"We are leaving the window of opportunity open. We will be able to open the door for a new era in the Korean peninsula if the DPRK shows sincerity," he added.

"Our biggest goal is the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula," he said.

The ROK's Unification Ministry said on Monday it is ready anytime to hold dialogue with Pyongyang and cooperate to ensure peace and stability.

Last week, Pyongyang warned the world to expect no policy changes under new leader Kim Jong-un, and threatened unspecified retaliation against the ROK for its perceived disrespect to late leader Kim Jong-il.

It also vowed never to deal with the government of Lee, who is in his last full year in office.

Seoul expressed sympathy to the DPRK people over Kim's death and allowed two private mourning delegations to visit Pyongyang. It did not send an official delegation.

Lee said the ROK "will respond strongly" to any aggression but also raised the prospect of "big changes" following Kim's death.

He said he hoped 2012 would be a milestone in years-long efforts to negotiate an end to the DPRK's nuclear weapons programs.

The Six-Party Talks could resume as soon as Pyongyang halts its atomic activities, he said, but did not elaborate further on what possible changes lay in store for the Korean peninsula.

The talks, involving the DPRK, the ROK, the United States, Japan, Russia and China, have been stalled since 2008 when the DPRK walked away from an aid-for-disarmament deal.

Pyongyang has called for the resumption of the nuclear talks, but Washington and Seoul have been reluctant to rush back to the table.

On Sunday, DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un marked New Year's Day with a visit to a tank division, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Kim visited the army division to congratulate the soldiers on receiving a military honor as the supreme military commander and supreme leader of the ruling party and nation, the agency reported.

This was Kim's first inspection since he assumed the top role.

AFP-REUTERS