Lee Administration Must Change Now-obsolete N Korea Policy
EDITORIAL BY HANKYOREH
Seoul — An important situational change in the North Korea nuclear issue has taken place over the past two days during the high-level meeting between North Korea and China. Meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao two days ago, Kim Jong-il, Commissioner of North Korea’s National Defense Commission said North Korea is prepared to accede to multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, as progress in bilateral North Korea-U.S. talks has continued.
The return to six-party talks is conditioned on the results of bilateral North Korea-U.S. talks, but Kim’s direct reference to the six-party talks, which North Korean authorities had declared dead on several occasions, seems to be a signal that North Korea will return to the path of dialogue. The statement also indicates that the situation on the Korean Peninsula might move from sanctions that began with last spring’s North Korean satellite launch and nuclear test towards dialogue.
Of course, even if dialogue begins, there are many mountains to cross. First, there is a high probability that North Korea will continue its push for bilateral talks, stressing that the starting point of the North Korean nuclear issue is U.S. hostile policy towards North Korea. Moreover, even if North Korea agrees to multilateral talks, a tug-of-war will ensue between the relevant countries over whether the talks should be six-party, three-party (North Korea, U.S., China) or four-party (South Korea, North Korea, China, U.S.). It is also unclear whether results from North Korea-U.S. bilateral talks will draw North Korea back as a participant in multilateral talks. Despite these uncertain factors, it is fortunate that tensions on the Korean Peninsula have settled and the door for dialogue has opened.
The significance of this meeting between China and North Korea for the international community, including South Korea, is twofold, broadly speaking. First, with China agreeing to large-scale economic aid to North Korea, sanctions against North Korea have been rendered virtually powerless. With China, which accounted for over 70 percent of North Korean trade last year, pledging large-scale economic cooperation, pressuring North Korea through sanctions is nothing more than a joke.
The other point of significance is that the two nations have pledged to strengthen their friendship “for generations to come.” This means China will support the North Korean regime in the long-term. One could say a honeymoon era between North Korea and China has begun. The Lee Myung-bak Administration is greatly at fault for the fact that the situation has reached this point, since they have thoroughly blocked exchanges and cooperation with North Korea.
Having secured Chinese political and economic support, North Korea’s voice in relations with South Korea and the U.S. will grow louder. Our government, however, says it will stick to pressuring North Korea through international cooperation, the limit to which was clearly displayed here. It is not too late. It is time for the Lee administration to craft a new North Korea policy in line with the new changes.
Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
PDF Related posts: