approach

Dec. 19 (Asia Today) — President Lee Jae-myung said Friday that while North Korea’s “hostile two-state” line may reflect current realities, South Korea must “return to our proper place” and work to restore channels for contact, dialogue and cooperation.

Speaking at a joint work report by the Foreign Ministry and the Unification Ministry at the Government Complex Seoul, Lee pointed to what he described as an unprecedented buildup along the inter-Korean boundary.

“For the first time since the 1950s war, North Korea has erected triple fences along the entire demarcation line, severed bridges, cut off roads and built retaining walls,” Lee said. He added that North Korea may have acted out of concern that the South could invade, but said it was regrettable and appeared tied to “strategic desires.”

Lee said the moves could be part of Pyongyang’s strategy, but argued South Korea must respond with patience and sustained effort to improve what he described as a situation in which the North “fundamentally refuses contact itself.”

“As I’ve said before, we must find even the smallest opening,” Lee said. “We need to communicate, engage in dialogue, cooperate and pursue a path of coexistence and mutual prosperity between the North and South.”

He said there is currently “not even a needle’s eye of an opening,” repeating that the situation is “truly not easy.”

Lee also appeared to criticize the previous administration’s approach to North Korea, saying “one could call it a kind of karma.” He added that if a strategy contributed to the current impasse, “then we must change it now.”

Lee said the government should make proactive efforts to ease tensions and create conditions for trust to emerge, adding that the Unification Ministry should now take a leading role.

“It is certainly not an easy task, but it is equally clear that it is not something we should give up on,” he said.

– Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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For all that England have been criticised, Australia deserve a huge amount of credit.

If England had been told they would play an Australia team without all of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, they would have been rubbing their hands with glee.

And yet, Australia pulled off victory in Brisbane with all of their other players standing up.

Mitchell Starc has been absolutely outstanding, supported by Michael Neser, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett.

Alex Carey put in an absolute masterclass behind the stumps, possibly the best wicketkeeping performance I’ve ever seen – and I played with Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist.

Perhaps the biggest revelation for Australia has been the shift in the batting order.

Before the series, when there seemed to be a lot of discussion about the Australia line-up, I said there was only really a debate about one area – Usman Khawaja’s opening partner.

That debate has been settled, just not in a way anyone expected.

Ever since Travis Head stuck his hand up to open when Khawaja got hurt in Perth, Australia have looked like a different team. Now, there seems to be the opportunity for Head and Jake Weatherald to cement themselves as the opening pair.

Khawaja might find it tough to get back in, although Australia coach Andrew McDonald has suggested he could bat at number five.