Hartmut Koschyk MdB und der Vorsitzende des Präsidiums der Obersten Volksversammlung Kim Yong Nam

Der Vorsitzende der Deutsch-Koreanischen Parlamentariergruppe, Hartmut Koschyk MdB, führte mit der Yonhap News Agency aus Südkorea ein Interview über seine Reise nach Nordkorea. Der Artikel ist am 3. Juni 2015 erschienen.

“3 high-ranking officials sent by North Korea was a soft gesture to South Korea”

By reporter Chang Yong-hun.

Caption for the first picture: Director of the North Korean military’s General Political Bureau Hwang Byung-seo and Director of the party’s North Korean United Front Department Kim Yang-gun attending the closing ceremony for Incheon Asian Game on October 2014.

Hartmut Koschyk MdB spoke that he heard from North Korean officials that it was a soft gesture to South Korea when North Korea sent 3 high-ranking officials to the closing ceremony for Inchon Asian Game last year. Koschyk MdB, who visited North Korea for 4 days and straightly came to South Korea, also heard that the relation between South and North Korea after was tightened due to Korea-US joint military exercises.

During his visit to North Korea, Koschyk MdB had a conference with President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea Kim Young-nam, Leader of Germany-North Korea Parliamentarians’ Friendship Association Lee Jong-hyuk and Vice Foreign Minister Goong Suk-ung, and looked around Wonsan of Gangwon province in North Korea.
A member of Christian Social Union (CSU) of Germany, Koschyk MdB is also Chief consultant of Korean-German Advisory Group on the Foreign Policy towards Reunification, Representative of Korean-German Forum, and German leader of Germany-North Korea Parliamentarians’ Friendship Association.

He also mentioned that North Korean officials usually referred to the attitude of US for not sitting on the table of Six-party talks, and that he felt we were in a tough situation now.
Furthermore, he heard that denuclearization was instructions from Kim Il-sung and Kim Jung-il, and Kim Jung-eun is also willing to do so. He considers that South Koreans should raise the understanding of North Koreans to approach politically and socially and make an effort for reconciliation.

For the question of asking the current atmosphere in North Korea regarding the execution of the head of Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces Hyun Young-chul, he answered the delegation didn’t notice residents being so influenced by the occasion, but also added that it was difficult to catch such an atmosphere because it was a short visit.

Koschyk MdB was also worried about the dreadful drought situation going on in North Korea, with the water level of Hamheung dam falling down from 15m to 30cm, and also the following energy shortage due to the lack of waterpower generation and the food shortage due to a problem in farming.