SOUTH KOREA: The South Korean government threatened yesterday to take a tougher line with the communist North as it faced a public backlash over a naval battle with the rival state.
The defence minister proposed changing the rules of engagement for clashes with the North to allow southern forces to fire first.
And the unification minister said that talks with the North could now be delayed because of the fighting.
President Kim Dae-Jung's government, which has pursued a policy of peaceful engagement with the North, introduced the military regulations which compel the South Korean military to issue a warning before firing.
But Saturday's clash in the Yellow Sea, in which four South Korean sailors were killed, one is still missing and 19 were wounded, have brought calls for a change.
Public bitterness over the deaths was highlighted at the funeral of the four navy personnel in Seoul yesterday.
South Korea says that two North Korean patrol boats crossed the disputed sea frontier on Saturday and one opened fire after ignoring warnings from the South Korean navy.
North Korea, which has admitted that it suffered losses, but has given no details, said that the South's forces opened fire first.
The South Korean Defence Minister, Mr Kim Dong-Shin, made the proposal to change the rules of engagement in talks with the commander of the 37,000 US troops in Korea, Gen Leon LaPorte, a ministry spokesman said.
"The minister said that the combined [South Korean/US] forces should consider revising the rules. There was no immediate response from LaPorte, but the mood appears to be positive," the spokesman said.
South Korea requires approval from the US army to change strategic military rules under their mutual defence pact, which dates from the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
The South Korean Unification Minister, Mr Jeong Se-Hyun, signalled a change in the diplomatic stance toward the North following talks with government officials on the sea battle.
"We will not be in a hurry. The government will seek to resume inter-Korean talks in a cautious manner, watching the situation," Mr Jeong said, while rejecting an opposition demand for a freeze on all inter-Korean exchanges.
However, President Kim Dae-Jung vowed to stick to his "sunshine policy" of peaceful engagement with the North during a summit in Tokyo with Japan's Prime Minister, Mr Junichiro Koizumi, presidential officials said. The naval clash was one of the main topics raised at the summit.
South Korean armed forces remained on high alert as a salvage operation was begun to locate the patrol boat which was sunk by the North Koreans.
The head of the navy, Admiral Chang Jung-Kil, hinted at the fury felt by many in the military in his tribute at the service at the Seongnam military hospital in Seoul. "My dear colleagues, you passed away, burying your burning patriotism with you. I cannot soothe and restrain my anger even if I look up and shout at the sky," he told the mourners.
South Korean opposition parties have called on the government to dismiss the defence minister and review the "sunshine policy" of peaceful engagement. - (AFP)