The North Korean media’s reaction to Choi Ryong Hae\u2019s visit to Beijing perfectly illustrates the classical \u201cNorth Korean style.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned \u201cdenuclearization of the Korean peninsula\u201d three times in his meeting with Choi. Meanwhile, Choi\u2019s remarks were open, and centered on the idea of \u201cresolving related issues through a range of talks and negotiations, including the Six-Party Talks.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, following the latter\u2019s return to North Korea, Pyongyang only issued statements regarding continuing friendly relations between North Korea and China. Why did they stay quiet about denuclearization and the \u201crange of talks and negotiations, including the Six-Party Talks\u201d?<\/p>\n
History shows the way. The late Kim Jong Il visited China seven times as leader, beginning in 2000. Each time, he visited burgeoning metropolises, whereupon he poured lavish praise upon China\u2019s economic reform policies and successes. But, in stark contrast, he then stuck to his usual \u201cour-style socialism\u201d tropes upon returning to Pyongyang. This is what is meant by \u201cNorth Korean style,\u201d and there are several reasons for it.<\/p>\n
First, Pyongyang\u2019s apparatchiks do not see the need to divulge the contents of their overseas talks to the wider population. The elite deems it easier to govern a North Korea that is populated by an uninformed mass, so they pass on only the good news: in this case, \u201cWe still have good relations with China.\u201d Well-informed masses would mean division, and obstacles to harmonious rule. Divided opinion is an implacable enemy of North Korean-style dictatorship.<\/p>\n
Secondly, the reason why Choi brought up the words, \u201cvariety of talks and negotiations, including the Six-Party Talks\u201d was to convey Pyongyang\u2019s wish to walk side-by-side with China. But such words only need saying in China, not in North Korea. Accordingly, the North Korean media has no reason to mention them; the media only needs to repeat the latest Party philosophy, in this case the \u201cbyungjin,\u201d or simultaneous advancement of military and economic prosperity, line. Do that, and all is fine on the domestic front.<\/p>\n
In short, glossing over Choi\u2019s words is no big deal for them. However, there is something else to consider as well: it seems Pyongyang is engaging in its own brand of diplomatic initiative in Northeast Asia, and it may be bearing fruit. <\/p>\n
Isao Ijima, an advisor to the Japanese cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, recently visited Pyongyang for four days. Ijima reportedly declared that Japan and North Korea have finalised working-level discussions, and that Prime Minister Abe\u2019s political judgment is the remaining concern. There is the possibility that Abe might even visit Pyongyang as early as end of May or early June, Kwon Cheol Hyeon, a former South Korean Ambassador to Japan, then claimed.<\/p>\n
If there is any truth to this, then no doubt Choi explained Abe\u2019s pending Pyongyang visit in detail to his Chinese interlocutors. The Chinese will have been aggrieved by Pyongyang\u2019s ploy to thrust Japan into the equation in order to seek leverage over China, but not surprised: Chinese policy makers are well aware of Pyongyang\u2019s \u201cstrategic Juche diplomacy,” a double-dipping ploy that proved highly effective in pitting the former Soviet Union and China against each other during Kim Il Sung\u2019s days. <\/p>\n
By doing this, Pyongyang is acting as a thorn in Beijing\u2019s side, bringing Japan onto the stage at a time when China is embroiled in a dispute with Tokyo over the Senkaku Islands. Pyongyang is seeking to improve its leverage, and is doing so by helping China and Japan to go forth and bicker among themselves.<\/p>\n
Partly this is because Pyongyang has decided that long sought-after talks with the U.S. are improbable because of the strong alliance between the U.S. and South Korea. Kim Jong Eun thought he\u2019d be able to take the initiative by threatening South Korea with nukes just like his father did, but the Seoul government didn\u2019t fold like previous governments. These factors nudged Pyongyang into playing the Japan wild card.<\/p>\n
So, Choi has now passed the ball to China. In the meantime, of course, the North Korean media continues to talk about \u201cgood relations with China\u201d and \u201cour new byungjin policy.\u201d<\/p>\n
China holds the keys. On June 7th, the Obama-Xi summit in California will try to discern the rough outline of an interpretation of Choi\u2019s vague, general statement. A China-South Korea summit will follow at the end of June, at which President Park Geun Hye will explain her \u201cKorean Peninsula trust process\u201d and try to strengthen South Korea-China cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue.<\/p>\n
However, most eyes are really on the possibility of an Abe Pyongyang visit. North Korea badly needs economic support, and Abe wants to resolve the Japanese abductees issue to his advantage for an upcoming election in July. Depending on when the Pyongyang visit takes place, before or after the Obama-Xi summit, Pyongyang\u2019s attitude could change. If Pyongyang secures a financial package from Japan prior to the Obama-Xi summit on June 7th, both China and South Korea\u2019s position would weaken. <\/p>\n
As I noted in my last column and as these facts reveal, the region is thus sure to see a fierce diplomatic war during June. Therefore, the Park government\u2019s diplomatic acumen will face a serious test. But so will that of Kim Jong Eun. <\/p>\n
Kim is currently playing a diplomacy-by-proxy game via his close advisors in an effort to seize the advantage by pitting China against Japan. But this strategy is not potent enough to last, because Kim doesn’t want to lose all credibility with the Chinese leadership.<\/p>\n
Chinese policy on North Korea is evolving towards a more pragmatic internationalism, while the U.S. is now in step with South Korean policy decisions. Thus, it seems that South Korea\u2019s role is gradually expanding, and this requires Park to really focus on the North Korea issue at hand. She must not blink.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The North Korean media’s reaction to Choi Ryong Hae\u2019s visit to Beijing perfectly illustrates the classical \u201cNorth Korean style.\u201d Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned \u201cdenuclearization of the Korean peninsula\u201d three times in his meeting with Choi. Meanwhile, Choi\u2019s remarks were open, and centered on the idea of \u201cresolving related issues through a range of talks […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":165,"featured_media":23532,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wikipediapreview_detectlinks":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n