Moon dampens down revolt against detente with North Korea

The South Korean president has been forced to address internal opposition to detente with the North.

Protesters set fire to a Kim Jong-un poster and the North Korean and unification flags in Seoul. Picture: AP

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been forced to address internal opposition to detente with the North, appealing to his countrymen “to unite efforts” in welcoming the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

The appeal by Mr Moon ­followed the public burning on Monday of a poster of North ­Korean leader Kim Jong-un while his popstar envoy was ­inspecting facilities in Seoul.

“There may be various difficulties in this dialogue, which was prepared after severance for a long time. But the South and North need to put effort into overcoming them, and to place ourselves into each other’s shoes,” Mr Moon said yesterday.

“As we protect a candle’s flame against the wind. It won’t be easy for us to create a chance for dialogue again.”

Opposition leader Hong Joon-pyo said the PyeongChang Olympics were being turned into the Pyongyang Olympics. “We are dancing to the tune of Kim Jong-un’s disguised peace ­offensive,” said the Liberal Korea Party leader, who was defeated by Mr Moon at last May’s presidential election.

Protesters burned the poster of Kim, as well as the North ­Korean and unification flags while Hyon Song-wol, the leader of 10-woman Moranbong Band and an army colonel, was inspecting the facilities to be used by North Korean art performers.

“The Moon government is offering gracious hospitality to a North Korean army colonel as if she’s a queen,’’ the Liberal Korea Party said. “Did they forget that North Korea had until recently been threatening to turn South Korea into a sea of fire with its nuclear weapons and missiles?”

North Korea’s media — all state owned — have attacked their Southern counterparts for questioning the rapid detente. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper said the South’s “rubbish media should be dumped into the slop bucket of history.”