The Korean Peninsula will be eventually reunited, but peace is the precondition, visiting President Roh Moo-hyun of the Republic of Korea (ROK) said in Beijing Wednesday.
Roh made the remarks in response to a student's question after his speech at Tsinghua University, one of China's most prestigious universities, Wednesday morning. Over 300 teachers and students attended the speech, including some ROK students.
Roh said reunification has been a long cherished dream for the Korean people, and the dream would surely come true.
But he stressed that peace was more important than reunification, and the goal was to seek peaceful reunification. Only when the peninsula was at peace, would reunification follow, Roh said.
Both the ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) were aware of the need for reunification, but the ROK was not willing to see the issue destroy trust between the two sides.
The issue of reunification should be treated carefully and seriously, said Roh, adding that it should be solved step by step based on peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Roh said reunification should also based on the condition that it would not increase the economic and financial burdens of the ROK.
Sound cooperation between ROK and DPRK before reunification would surely benefit people of the both sides, Roh added.
(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2003)
