His remarks remind one of a guilty party filing the suit first.

The south Korean authorities committed crimes against the reunification and the nation for their 4-year tenure of office. It is ridiculous for them to hold the DPRK accountable for the stalled north-south ties.

Let's look into some details of the agreement which Ryu mentioned.

The north-south agreed framework adopted in December 1991 serves as a programme for north-south reconciliation and peace. It reconfirmed the three principles of national reunification clarified in the historic July 4 North-South Joint Statement and assured the removal of all the political and military standoff between the north and the south.

The agreement reaffirmed both sides' commitments to recognize the other's social system, refrain from interfering in the other's internal affairs and discourage slandering, destruction and sabotage against the other side.

It also specified items on ensuring free visits and contacts among national members as well as reconciliation, nonaggression, cooperation and exchange between the north and the south.

But the Lee Myung Bak regime has challenged the spirit of the agreement from the first day of its office while openly advocating "no-nukes, opening and 3 000 dollars" aimed at "unification under liberal democratic systems". This resulted in escalating confrontation against its fellow countrymen.

The regime has also persisted in such smear campaigns as scattering leaflets to slander Korean style socialism centering on the popular masses. It even insulted the supreme leadership of the DPRK.

An appendix to the agreement clarified the respect for the other's social system and promises against falsification of truth and fabrication and spread of lies about the other side. Dose Ryu U Ik know this?

The Ministry of Unification and the Lee Myung Bak regime barred south Koreans' condolatory visits to Pyongyang and decried the tears shed by the fellow countrymen in the north. They even opened an E-library to expand the scope of their misinformation and false reports.

Ryu worked busy spreading anti-DPRK misinformation even at a time when the United States, Japan and the south Korean military authorities gathered on Jeju Island to assess the situation in the DPRK to be stable.

It is shameless for Ryu to talk about the agreement and the issue of reunification directly related to the destiny of nation as he falls short of the ability of discerning respect, reconciliation and cooperation from violation and destruction.

He would be well advised to shut his mouth that only draws criticism and wait for a severe punishment by the Korean nation.