[imText1]The state of the Korean Peninsula is coming to its ultimate end. Kim Jong Il is determined to make a final ultimatum and pursue its destiny with nuclear weapons. Now the issue of nuclear armaments is beyond choice and has become an irrevocable fate.
The moment Kim Jong Il refused political reform and pursued a closed dictatorship in opposition to the world, the inevitable path was determined. For him to abandon his nuclear weapons now would be like raising his two hands in surrender before even having tried his final wagers.
Some people say that the U.S. reinforced Kim Jong Il’s pursuit of nuclear armaments. As the U.S. did not accept North Korea’s requests, Kim Jong Il had no choice but to select this path. It is people like ‘D.J.’ who say these things.
However, this is not true. This is because Kim Jong Il’s requests are endless. Let’s assume that the U.S. did release North Korea’s financial sanctions. Then would Kim Jong Il stop there? Indisputably not. Next he would dismantle the U.S. nuclear umbrella around the Korean Peninsula and request that the Korea-U.S. alliance be destroyed. Hence, the requests would be endless and through repeated requests time would be infinite.
When you observe one of Kim Jong Il’s tactics in regards to the talks and recollect his yet other approach to the ‘negotiations’, not through compromise but rather by ‘trying to achieve self-centered cooperation on top of the table,’ doesn’t DJ’s logic to ‘Have comprehensive negotiations with Kim Jong Il directly’ in the end mean that all responsibility is not on Kim Jong Il but on the U.S.? Will all matters in the world resolve once the nuclear issue is abandoned like Libya’s Muammar al Qadhafi?
In the end, we must not be terrorized by Kim Jong Il’s threat by pursuing the Sunshine policy nor send cement even if he does threaten nuclear tests, but begin by ending financial aid which he is using to supply nuclear armaments. Firstly, on a private matter, it would be appropriate to cease construction at Mt. Geumgang tourism and Kaesung Industrial Complex. Where on earth is there a country like ours that provides cash and says to the opposition with nuclear threats, “We will provide for your nuclear armaments funds.’
In another perspective, others may say, “Then do you want to go to war?” Clearly, we must ensure that a war does not break out. Nevertheless, as long as the opposition is blocking every possible path to war and conniving power, a strict foreign alliance and mutual assisting structure must be enforced. However, the Kim Dae Jung-Roh Moo Hyun Administration have followed the exact opposite path. The day Kim Jong Il conducts nuclear tests, the ‘Sunshine Policy’ and ‘Uriminzokkiri (being ‘Amongst Our Nation’)’ movement created by these two men will be doomed to collapse.
Kim Jong Il has now crossed a bridge of no return. What he faces are foreign enemies, oppression and the ultimate destruction of his regime. Once he said that when he was destroyed he would also bring down the world with him. Further, he anticipates that we will be diffident from this threat.
However, in order to win this battle we need to take a ‘Die to live, Live to Die’ attitude. We must now accept the fact that history does not come without a cost.
