A spokesman for the party at a press conference on December 27 last year accused Lee Myung Bak of letting loose a spate of bellicose remarks that "it is impossible for south Korea to avert a war if it is afraid of it." Not content with this, Lee went the lengths of shifting the responsibility for the Yonphyong Island shelling incident onto the people, he noted, adding that what the people hope is to solve issues in a peaceful way, not by a war.

On the same day, the executive chairman of the party, referring to the Ministry of Unification's release of its working plan for 2011, chided the Lee regime for clinging to a highhanded policy only, failing to shape any prospect and policy for cooperation and exchange with the north.

Underscoring the need for the "government" to lay a foundation for reunification through exchange and cooperation, he termed the act of disregarding this an incompetent and irresponsible behavior.

He demanded the authorities make a switchover from their present policy toward the north to that of peace, reconciliation and cooperation.