Minister Hyon In Thaek is to blame for this as he has stoked north-south confrontation quite contrary to the nation's desire for reunification.

This diehard confrontation maniac has made a specialty of inciting confrontation between fellow countrymen. Its clear proof is the new year work plan on the ministry's role.

In the plan he called for making preparations for "unification through absorption" with 2011 as the "first year of preparations for unification". And at a recent commemorative event he talked about the "radical change of the north."

He said that "whether the north makes fundamental change in its attitude or not would serve as the most important standard for the ministry to judge policy towards the north" and that "the ministry should concentrate all efforts on leading the north to denuclearization and opening in the future." He went the lengths of setting this as "core task for peace" and "key target of the policy towards the north", adding that there can never be the discussion of other issues.

This wicked confrontation element took the lead in doing wrongs while putting the DPRK's "abandonment of nuclear program first" as precondition for the improved north-south relations.

He has been engrossed in escalating confrontation out of inveterate enmity toward fellow countrymen. Huge indeed are harmful consequences he brought to the north-south relations.

The ministry's mission is said to shape policy on unification, dialogue, exchange and cooperation between the north and the south and supervise education and information service for unification.

South Korean people think that anyone in charge of the ministry should have affinity for fellow countrymen and be able to play the role of "friendly ambassador" between the two sides. There is a point in it.

But, the south Korean authorities appointed Hyon In Thaek, a diehard separatist, as minister of Unification, defying the nation's will for reunification. This guy had called for dismantlement of the ministry, swimming against the nation's will for reunification and unity and unified development.

Just as people fear that the ministry headed by him would run off the track sooner or later, he brought to naught all the achievements the north and the south made through dialogue and negotiations after the publication of the June 15 joint declaration.

He cooked up the watchwords of "no nuke, opening and 3000 dollars" running diametrically counter to the historic June 15 joint declaration and October 4 declaration. When different social standings of south Korea called for getting reconciled with the north and having open-hearted dialogue with it, he insisted on "wait-and-see strategy", keeping on the north-south confrontation.

Visits and contacts of many reunification movement organizations and personages were blocked and even NGOs' small cooperation stopped by standard and check-bar dropped by him.

It is great misfortune and disaster that such element holds the post of minister of Unification, going on the rampage to drive the north-south relations to total collapse while seeking separation, not unification.

It is impossible to expect implementation of the north-south joint declarations and improved inter-Korean relations unless the minister of Unification is replaced in south Korea.

The source of misfortune should be removed in time.