Koreas react differently to Gaddafi's death

The two Koreas on Friday showed differing responses to the death of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, with the South welcoming the historical transition while the North's state media remained silent. In a statement issued by Seoul's foreign ministry, South Korea said it "welcomes the Libyan people's historical transition from a gloomy old era" following Thursday's killing of the 69-year-old former leader in his hometown of Sirte. News reports said Gadhafi was killed by revolutionary fighters, ending eight months of civil war between the leader's supporters and NATO-backed opposition forces. "(We) hope to see the Libyan people achieve national unity and rebuild their nation through a democratic and peaceful process," the statement said, adding that the South Korean government will "actively participate" in international efforts to make this happen. North Korea, which maintained close ties with Gadhafi's regime, has so far been silent on the former Libyan leader's death. North Korea is known to have exported ballistic missiles to Libya and is suspected of having previously helped the Africa nation develop nuclear weapons. They have also shared common political views in their hostility toward the United States. The North's state media have not reported on the democratic uprisings across the Middle East and Northern Africa that started early this year, apparently fearing a similar threat to the Pyongyang regime.