[imText1]It’s rather strange. The North Korean Foreign Ministry announced that they will conduct nuclear tests. If North Korea has any need to conduct nuclear testing, all they need is to simply carry out the tests without making any remarks.
Until now, as a country that officially possesses nuclear weapons, never has there been a time of courtesy where announcements are made prior to launching nuclear tests. However, the foreign affairs spokesperson in charge of North Korea’s external relations appeared in person to declare that, ‘We will conduct nuclear tests.’ Why? Simply put, it seems like a person on the verge of suicide trying to gather interest from onlookers by alerting them: ‘I am not sure whether I will really commit suicide, please save me from doing this.’
At the U.S.-North Korea negotiations in Geneva in 1994, North Korea already had an aim to test its nuclear weapon skills and had completed preparations for one nuclear test. Hwang Jang Yop, former International Secretary of the North Korea Workers’ Party said that at the time, central authorities of the Department of Munitions Manufacture (head secretary Jeon Byung Ho) had submitted a report ‘Completion of underground nuclear test preparations’ and as negotiations with the U.S. were progressing positively, the first-director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau, Kang Seok Joo ordered for Kim Jong Il’s reservation.
So it seems more correct to assume that the Foreign Ministry’s ‘Verbal threat’ and testing of nuclear weapons were unrelated and rather that it was wholly a foreign policy stunt of self-aggravation. If it weren’t for these reasons, there would have been no need to profusely announce that nuclear tests were going to be conducted.
A typical Foreign Ministry declaration
Furthermore, when we examine the few ‘options’ of the Foreign Affairs Bureau’s explication of performing nuclear tests, there are about two pitiful flaws.
First, it was revealed that “In the position of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Scientific Research, a most safe nuclear test will be guaranteed.” It seems that North Korean authorities wanted to show a nuance that, “Although we were unfairly withdrawn from the International Atomic Energy Agency as a result of the U.S, we are still abiding by the safe nuclear negotiations.”
However, it is still ludicrous. Is it possible for a suicide aggravator to be concerned for the ‘safety’ of its surroundings?
Also, it appears that the North is enjoying a treat while teasing China and South Korea, who are concerned with the outflow of radioactivity after a nuclear test, by declaring, ‘You need not worry, your country will be safe.’ In other words, it seems like North Korea is patting the two countries it considers ‘allies’ on the back in the six-party talks by saying, ‘Our nuclear tests are safe, so do not worry,’ and using strategies and wit like a typical child.
Second is the declaration “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will not be the first to use nuclear weapons but will aspire for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
Until now, North Korea has asserted that it will not develop nor use nuclear weapons and keep the Korean Peninsula denuclearized on so many numerous occasions that it has become annoying to listen to. The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has already been declared through mutual agreement. Rather, North Korea is uttering irrational assertions under the notion that the ‘U.S. will release its hands on the Korean Peninsula’ arbitrarily.
Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will automatically occur once North Korea suspends its nuclear efforts. Is this not the reason we have the six-party talks that have now dragged on for 3 years, to end nuclear efforts by North Korea in order to create a denuclearized Korean Peninsula?
If that’s the case, what is the reason behind the Foreign Ministry’s second absurd announcement? To put it briefly, the North is saying, ‘Do not worry as we will not use nuclear weapons on our own nation. It is only the U.S. that needs to be eliminated’ while simultaneously stroking and slapping South Korea on the cheek.
North Korea’s number one hostage for its target of nuclear war is always South Korea. Its second hostage is Japan. Even a sleeping cow would laugh if North Korea were to first launch a nuclear attack on the U.S. Furthermore, it is difficult to view Japan as a ‘predetermined hostage.’ Not only is Japan under the U.S.’s nuclear umbrella, but if the two countries were to unite, it is possible that within 3~6 months they would possess enough nuclear weapons to counterattack. Rather, it is Japan who is bellowing in a loud voice for its nuclear armaments, saying, ‘We are caught as North Korea’s nuclear hostage.’
However, as South Korea has removed all nuclear weapons following the U.S. tactic of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, if the Korea-U.S. military alliance were to rupture, the South would undoubtedly become the North’s nuclear puppet.
Kim Jong Il is undeniably fully aware of these circumstances. Hence, this is just another stunt by Kim Jong Il stating that ‘We will never be first to use nuclear weapons.’ In actuality, this threat means, ‘We will definitely take you as our hostage and may attack first in case the U.S. does release control.’
At present, Kim Jong Il possesses nothing but weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear armaments. In any case, he must use what he has left to maintain his dictatorship and survive. Furthermore, if you look around his surroundings there is nothing that looks easy except South Korea. The Roh Moo Hyun administration is still holding onto the dream that ‘Uriminjokkiri’ (within our nation) negotiations will be the solution. The truth in the Foreign Ministry declaration ends in using South Korea as a threat to the U.S. stating that if the economic sanctions are not released then this will result in nuclear tests to force suspension of funds in South Korea.
Even if North Korea did conduct nuclear tests, there would be no case where nuclear possessor China’s safety would be threatened enough for foreign capital to be seceded. In the end, basically the aim of this declaration was for South Korea to break the Korea-U.S. alliance and have a ‘good war,’ and more explicitly for the U.S. to suspend its economic sanctions. It is only that the level of threat was rather childish and predictable enough for one to smile bitterly.
Peace in North East Asia can only occur with reform in the Kim Jong Il regime
If this is the case, how should we arrange the threats made by Kim Jong Il?
First, the Kim Jong Il regime can be enticed to participate in the six-party talks and earnestly sign the 9.19 mutual agreement by continuing the U.N. Security Council’s sanctions on North Korea. Alternatively, North Korea could face continuous sanctions worldwide and receive political scrutiny.
The fact that North Korea is declaring a threat to the international community indicates that the current economic sanctions are not yet having any agonizing effect on the Kim Jong Il regime. Furthermore, severe afflictions need to be made. In particular, if South Korea and China continues to urge the U.S. to relieve the financial sanctions and approaches the Kim Jong Il regime in a ‘We would really appreciate you amicably return to the six-party talks’ attitude, this will only result in further threats like it has occurred until now. Also, even if North Korea did temporarily return to the talks, it is inevitable that North Korea will relapse again.
Second, until North Korea returns itself to the talks, North Korea should be eliminated from the six-party talks and the initial talks in opposition to North Korea’s nuclear tests and anticipated provocations continued. (In viewing the tone of the Foreign Ministry declaration, the chances of nuclear tests occurring in the near future are low) The 5-Party Talks are good but the expanded talks aren’t bad either,
It is important to highlight to North Korea that not only would there be changes in economic sanctions but that a variety of options could be selected. The different options it could choose from would begin with practicing international peace tactics to pressure the Kim Jong Il regime to sign the 9.19 mutual agreement → international community support → plans for development and reform, nuclear tests → examination of political power in distributing rations → coercively promoting change in the North Korean regime.
Third, if the Kim Jong Il regime still continues to enforce nuclear tests, the proper measures to take would be to block North Korea → incite democratization from within → Kim Jong Il regime reform → prepare for Korean Peninsula Peace Talks.
Until now, the major reason that the six-party talks have repeatedly failed is because the aim of the six-party talks is only focused on ‘North Korea’s nuclear weapons.’ In another perspective, the six-party talks established to peacefully eliminate North Korea’s nuclear development can be said to have further enticed North Korea’s nuclear activity. Although this is criticism, the purpose of the talks was incorrectly established. North Korea’s nuclear activity and the Kim Jong Il regime share a common destiny. As long as the Kim Jong Il regime maintains his position, the nuclear issue will continue to swell. This is because Kim Jong Il’s lifeline is based on weapons of mass destruction.
Hence, when the Kim Jong Il regime is changed into a government of public reform, not only will the issue of nuclear weapons be resolved but issues such as defectors, human rights, food for North Koreans, basically at least half of North Korea’s issues will be solved.
The following is a reexamination of the talks’ aim on the ‘North Korea Issue.’
The time has become more critical that the Kim Jong Il regime essentially shifts its governmental reform policy and progress is made to construct a more peaceful system on the Korean Peninsula.
Although the DailyNK has repeatedly asserted, if the international community originating from the U.S. does not release its lawful economic sanctions in response to North Korea’s illegal acts, then contact with the ‘Leader’ who demands he will conduct nuclear tests will be lost.
In the end, the only solution is to peacefully guide the Kim Jong Il regime to reform. From now on the international community needs to reconstruct its aim and gather wisdom. This is the only way to create peace in the North East Asia and save the people of North Korea.
