[imText1]North Korea mentions about ‘Conplan 8022’ almost everyday. North Korea insists to abolish it immediately using all institutions such as spokesperson of Peaceful Unification Committee issued a statement about it and all medias such as Chosun central broadcasting (20th), Pyongyang broadcasting (21st and 22nd), Democracy Chosun (24th) and Rodong Shinmun (25th).
This kind of North Korean reaction is due to a report of The Washington Post issued on May 15th. William M. Arkin, U.S. military journalist, reported that U.S. government sets up ‘Conplan 8022’ to strike first North Korea and Iran.
North Korea Let go of its own benefits of the NPT
The U.S.’ first strike plan is nothing special. Since 9.11 terror, the U.S. is trying to change its strategy from defense and reaction to prevention and early solution. The reason ‘Conplan 8022’ is noticeable is that William M. Arkin insisted that ‘using nuclear weapon’ is included in early strike option.
North Korea makes a protest against it saying “dangerous nuclear war scenario.” However, North Korea has no right to say like that.
The main structure of the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) is ▲ five nations (the U.S., Russia, England, France and China) which have nuclear weapon should not transfer the technical know-how related to nuclear weapons to nations which do not have nuclear weapon ▲ nations which do not have nuclear weapon should not develop nuclear weapon in the future. It’s an unequal treaty formally, but we should understand it as a realistic action to prevent further nuclear weapon.
The nations that possess nuclear weapons try to reduce number of nuclear weapons and give benefits to nation which does not have nuclear weapon. When a nation which does not have nuclear weapon develops nuclear for peaceful reason, for example a nation is trying to develop nuclear for nuclear power generation, the five nations support technology and materials through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). To secure safety of nations which do not have nuclear weapon, the five nations made a promise that ‘the five nations will not attack or threat other nations with nuclear weapon’. We call it ‘Negative Security Assurance’.
Furthermore, nations which do not have nuclear weapon shall be put under the protection of ‘nuclear umbrella’. It is like if South Korea which is one of the US’s allies is attacked with nuclear weapon by China, the U.S. shall attack with nuclear weapon China. If so, China will not attack South Korea easily. The UN also protects nations which do not have nuclear weapon. We call it ‘Positive Security Assurance’.
Human being could prevent for a new nation having nuclear weapon and nuclear war through this kind of complicated nuclear control and mutual security. Even though people say that the NPT is an unequal treaty, experts are saying that if there was no NPT treaty, tens of nations would have nuclear weapons in the world and the possibility of nuclear war would be much higher.
However, North Korea disturbed the NPT treaty and turned down various benefits and security system which the NPT guarantees.
If North Korea still remains in the NPT and condemns the US’ strike first with nuclear weapon, North Korea could justify it. However, it is North Korea itself which turned down the NPT treaty, the five nation can not attack with nuclear weapon other nations which do not have nuclear weapon, and became a target of the five nations. Everything was caused by North Korea itself and they are condemning the U.S. saying ‘dangerous nuclear war scenario’. It inverts the order.
It is natural to prepare countermeasure against the nation that declares itself as a nuclear state
When the U.S. set up strike first plan against North Korea which is not joined the NPT, there is no problem about it formally. If Iran which is selected as the attack objective along with North Korea condemns it, it is understandable. It is because Iran remains in the NPT system at this moment. North Korea is disqualified by itself.
Moreover, North Korea declared that it has nuclear weapon. When we see it in the US position, it is natural that the U.S. makes a countermeasure against the nation which is not joined the NPT and declared it has nuclear weapon. If the US did not do anything against it, it’s strange thing.
Even now it is not too late. If North Korea wants to make a protest to the U.S., it should rejoin the NPT. North Korea also should declare that it shall give up nuclear weapon completely. It’s the way North Korea can secure its safety.
Since North Korea joins the NPT, it made a complaint about ‘excessive inspection pressure’. However, other many countries also have been inspected like that and only North Korea made a complaint about it. That is why it is difficult for North Korea to make international society understand it.
Even Cuba, an ally of North Korea, joined the NPT in 2002. 187 nations joined the NPT and the treaty shall be renewed again. It means that there is no excessive treatment toward North Korea.
If anyone wants to help North Korea, urge North Korea to rejoin the NPT
‘Conplan 8022’ which is introduced by The Washington Post, is already introduced on last February by the same person, William M. Arkin. Nothing is changed but the line ‘nuclear weapon is included as an option for first strike’. North Korea did not make any comments about it at that time, but they do now. We have to know why North Korea is so serious about the matter at this moment.
North Korea wants to use it as a chance to justify its logic that ‘the U.S. is the invader and North Korea is the victim’. It might be possible to cheat stupid pro-North Koreans in South Korea, but international society would sneer about it.
’Conplan’ is just plan itself, as you might guess from CON (Operations plan in Concept Form). Recently, Democratic Labor Party, South Korea, supported to abolish ‘Conplan 8022’ and pro-North Korean organizations in South Korea try to act in concert with them. If they’re really concerning about North Korea, it would be better pointing out North Korea’s “fatal mistake’’ and tell North Korea to rejoin the NPT and to abolish nuclear weapon completely. It is the real way to help North Korea and prevent ‘Conplan’ from setting up as a real strategy plan.
