Won Hee-ryong, a member of the GNP`s supreme council, said, "If South Korea does not actively provide food aid to North Korea, North Korea will be absorbed into the fourth northeastern province of China, not South Korea

 "If South Korea does not actively provide food aid to North Korea, North Korea will be absorbed into China's fourth northeastern province, not South Korea," GNP supreme council member Won Hee-ryong said on the 9th. "People think that if something happens to North Korea now, it will naturally be absorbed into South Korea, but internationally, it is not," Won said on a Buddhist broadcast radio. "North Korea is an ally of China and relies on China for food and energy," he said. "Since the public sentiment is also directed at China, it will be absorbed into the fourth northeastern province, not South Korea." "In order for us to realize a unified Korea, we need to be recognized internationally that North Korea is economically dependent on South Korea," he said. "It is not too late to take time to resolve the hunger issue first." Meanwhile, Won denied Roh's early lame duck rumors, saying, "I don't think it's appropriate to conclude that it's a lame duck." "People are still critical of poor state management, but the confidence seems to be falling rapidly due to recent corruption cases and confusion among his aides," he said. "President Roh should quickly clean up his aides and change his excessive confrontational drive of politics." "People think that if something happens to North Korea now, it will naturally be absorbed into South Korea, but internationally, it is not," Won said on a Buddhist broadcast radio. "North Korea is an ally of China and relies on China for food and energy," he said. "Since the public sentiment is also directed at China, it will be absorbed into the fourth northeastern province, not South Korea." "In order for us to realize a unified Korea, we need to be recognized internationally that North Korea is economically dependent on South Korea," he said. "It is not too late to take time to resolve the hunger issue first." Meanwhile, Won denied Roh's early lame duck rumors, saying, "I don't think it's appropriate to conclude that it's a lame duck." "People are still critical of poor state management, but the confidence seems to be falling rapidly due to recent corruption cases and confusion among his aides," he said. "President Roh should quickly clean up his aides and change his excessive confrontational drive of politics."