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South needs flexibility, North needs sincerity
North Korea reiterated its sophistry Wednesday, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the 2010 sinking of a South Korean naval ship, arguing it had nothing to do with the deadly attack. The North's military unit at the truce village of Panmunjeom insisted that the United States fabricated the incident in a bid to expand its military hegemony in Northeast Asia.
On Tuesday, the North's top military body, the National Defense Commission, also denied its involvement in the sinking, which killed 46 South Korean sailors, and demanded that Seoul lift sanctions imposed after the tragic incident.
Pyongyang's denial of responsibility for the torpedo attack on the 1,200-ton frigate Cheonan is nothing new, but it's quite regrettable that the reclusive state still sticks to its senseless allegations.
That the Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean torpedo on March 26, 2010, was verified enough through a South Korean-led investigation involving international experts. The North's responsibility is indisputable, especially given the debris of the torpedo discovered in nearby waters.
So it's absurd that the impoverished state demands the lifting of the South's ''May 24 Sanctions" without any acknowledgement of its responsibility or an apology. Considering that the Cheonan sinking was the biggest military calamity since the 1950-53 Korean War, Seoul is in no position to lift sanctions so easily. Given this fact, it's no wonder that North Korea should take the lead in resolving the knotty issue to pave the way for a thaw in frozen inter-Korean relations.
More disheartening is that conspiracy theories and groundless rumors still thrive over the sinking in South Korea. These allegations are utterly senseless, given that it's all but impossible to conceal the truth even five years after the incident.
It's long past time for Pyongyang to face up to the reality. At a time when its international isolation is deepening amid worsening economic woes and global pressure on its dire human rights conditions, it's no exaggeration to say that dialogue with Seoul would be one of the more viable options for the recalcitrant regime in Pyongyang to take.
The North should therefore come to the negotiating table as soon as possible if it really wants the sanctions to be lifted. This seemingly impossible scenario can be possible, recollecting that Kim Jong-un, the North's young leader, raised hopes for an inter-Korean summit in his New Year address. We believe that the two Koreas can discuss an apology and sanctions after coordinating their positions through unofficial channels.
Seoul also should do its utmost to break the inter-Korean quagmire caused by the sanctions, given the need for President Park Geun-hye to improve inter-Korean relations in 2015, the third year of her five-year presidency. Specifically, South Korea needs to show flexibility in dealing with the North while keeping its principles.
North Korea, for its part, ought to show sincerity in creating an environment for talks. Its verbal attacks are certainly of no help in resolving the conflict.
