WASHINGTON — South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak said Thursday that he will propose creating a permanent high-level diplomatic channel between North Korea and South Korea, including establishing the first liaison offices in the nations’ capitals after nearly six decades of division.
The United States has urged Seoul to take this step, but this is the first time a South Korean president has officially proposed doing so.
“Both North and South Korea must change their ways,” Lee said in an interview.
The South Korean president, who will stay at Camp David tonight for meetings with President Bush, said that North Korea is having trouble adjusting to the new tone set by his nascent administration. Lee has linked improvements in economic relations between the countries to progress on eliminating North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs, a significant shift from his predecessor.
