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North Korea Claims South in 'Anarchy'
North Korea claimed South Korea was in a "state of anarchy" Tuesday as the South braced for a prolonged legal and politically charged battle over whether to unseat President Roh Moo-hyun.
| No reports of grazing in the South, however. |
South Korea's leadership upheaval has raised concern Pyongyang may use the political turmoil to complicate six-nation talks aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis. On Tuesday, the South's interim leader, Prime Minister Goh Kun, urged an early resumption of the negotiations between the United States, the two Koreas, China, Russia and Japan. The six nations hope to meet for a third time before July. Goh also called for firm preparedness against deliberate incursions "accidental clashes" in disputed waters off the west coast where the North and South navies fought deadly gunbattles in 1999 and 2002. The region is traditionally a source of tension and North Korea has a history of provoking armed skirmishes to affect South Korea's domestic politics. North Korean delegates did not show up for inter-Korean economic talks Monday in South Korea. The North said "instability" makes the South an unsafe place to travel. Continuing the argument Tuesday, Pyongyang accused South Korean opposition parties of "creating the present state of anarchy and making it impossible for both sides to have even a safe contact."
Posted by: Steve White 2004-03-17 |
