Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon has officially proposed that the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Chung Myung-whun visit Pyongyang for performances and the top soccer teams of Seoul and Pyongyang hold regular games in the two cities.

The liberal mayor, who was elected to the office in a by-election on Oct. 26, made the proposal to the Unification Ministry here and the North Korean authorities in his New Year address. His idea may sound a bit untimely considering the present state of affairs between the two Koreas, but we hope that concerned authorities in the South and North will give it a positive consideration from the broad perspective of improving inter-Korean relations.

In this connection, we are reminded that Chung, who has recently extended his contract with Seoul City for his service as the music director and principal conductor of the SPO, made a visit to Pyongyang last September and discussed with musicians and officials there a joint performance by South and North Korean orchestras. He visited Pyongyang as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

Seoul-Pyongyang soccer matches have their origin in the “Gyeong-Pyong Games” during the 1920s and 30s. They were a most popular sports event while Korea was under Japanese colonial rule.

People in the 21st century are not so nave as to expect the resumption of sporting and musical exchanges to bring the same effect as the “ping pong diplomacy” of the early 1970s. But having something different to think of other than the ongoing nuclear problems, the sinking of the Cheonan patrol craft and the shelling of Yeonpyeongdo will be good for South Koreans in a sort of tension fatigue in relations with the North over the past years.

Park said that his administration would attempt to do “even anything small that could contribute to relaxation of tension and stabilization of peace on the Korean Peninsula.” He may consider that his status as a representative of the liberal-leftist forces, which have called for a softer approach to the North against the Lee Myung-bak government’s hard-line stance, puts him in a better position to make such a move. The Blue House doesn’t have to be embarrassed by the Seoul mayor’s seemingly apolitical initiative. It draws our attention how Pyongyang’s new leadership will respond to Park’s proposal.