How does North Korea feel about the summit talk of President Bush and Prime Minister Abe?
The recent summit talks between the U.S. and Japan ended with confirmation that the two parties did indeed have strong relations. Japan reaffirmed that it would not remove North Korea from the list of terror nations, until the abductees issue was resolved. This undeniably would have made Kim Jong Il squirm in his seat.
Amidst these circumstances, North Korea gives a strange response.
The Chosun Shinbo, the newspaper organized by the pro-North Korea Jochongryon (General Association of North Korean Residents in Japan) mentioned on the 28th, “There are ways to place Japan in a dilemma even without mobilizing troops” and gave the example “For instance, rapidly advancing the six party talks will break the Abe Administration’s hard-line policy.”
The newspaper reported, “It is highly wrong to think that Chosun (North Korea) will take a conciliatory attitude.” and “U.S. decision to conduct talks with ‘Chosun’ who has enforced nuclear tests is just as impossible as it is return to claims made by Chosun regarding the abductees issue.” Further, the newspaper emphasized that “Chosun is not a country that likes to boast.”
These comments come at a time when North Korea attempts to extend the Feb. 13 Agreements while gaining its funds back from BDA which is expected to be resolved within the next week.
Further, regarding North Korea’s funds and BDA, China’s deputy foreign minister Wu Dawei, who is also acting as the representative for the six party talks said, “The Macau government is considering ways to purchase BDA” reported the Tokyo Shinbun on the 29th.
While BDA is denied any transactions with other financial institutions, it seems that the Macau government is trying to remove the sanctions by purchasing BDA. If the Macau government does gain control of BDA, then there is a possibility that North Korea’s funds owed to the respective 50 account holders will be made in one lump payment.
Undeniably, the BDA issue will not be solved so easily taking into account that North Korea’s underlying motive is not to withdraw the $25mn but for the ability to conduct normal transactions with foreign partners. Nonetheless as criticisms arise amongst the international community regarding North Korea’s non-implementation of the Feb 13 Agreement, it is unlikely that North Korea will be able to maintain its idleness for long.
Retrospectively, the North Korean director of atomic affairs, Lee Je Sun sent a letter to the director general of the IAEA on the 20th which stated, “We will invite IAEA inspectors immediately after it is confirmed that the frozen accounts in BDA have been released.” The letter suggested that the six party talks will be positively affected with the implementation of the preliminary measures such as the disablement of nuclear facilities at Yongbyun once the BDA issue was resolved.
Once the Feb. 13 Agreement is fulfilled, the next step is to reopen the six party talks for discussions on the “normalization of U.S.-North Korea relations working group” which will includes topics voiding North Korea as a terror nation and removing sanctions enabling North Korea to engage in normal trade.
On the other hand, North Korea may make great efforts at building an alliance with the U.S. and then use this advantage to request that Japan step down from its hard-line policy and make resolutions regarding the abductees’ issue. However, Japan-North Korea relations are at its worse ever with North Korea marking Japan as “Whoi Nara” which means the Jap’s state in its media. Further, an order was made in North Korea to “remove all Japanese products from Pyongyang and every other city within 3 years.”
Likewise, the “forced drive” against North Korea continues in Japan. The Japanese police have begun to seize and carry investigations on the home of a 55 year old woman in Tokyo who was once related to 2 missing persons of North Korean descent on April 25th 1973 as well as interrogate the underground organization Jochongryon, which is known to be located in 4 areas of Japan.
Undoubtedly, Japan is the speck in North Korea’s eye who continues to place economic sanctions without even providing aid. Prior to the Feb. 13 Agreement, North Korea made comments that, “The effectiveness of the six party talks will be greater if Japan does not participate.”
As a result, it is possible that North Korea will implement the Feb. 13 Agreement creating a “peace mood,” while pushing for speedy progress to the six party talks based on U.S. and North Korea and at the same time isolate Japan. Hence the comments that “rapidly advancing the six party talks will break the Abe Administration’s hard-line policy” cannot be completely ignored.
In the end, the problem is BDA and North Korea’s accounts. Hence, the focus remains on the results of the BDA issue.
