[The Independent, U.K.]

The Daily North Korea, South Korea

Top Korean Defector: 'Neglecting' Kim Jong-il is the Best Approach

"Sanctions aren't useful at all … We should neglect them - let them be - even if they conduct ten additional tests. … Kim Jong-il knows full well that if he were in fact to use nuclear weapons it would mean his demise. … If tests that China doesn't wish to see continue, Beijing might eventually turn its back on the North

-- Hwang Jang-yop, former Chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly and Kim Jong-il's former professor at Kim Il-sung University

By Yang Jung-a

May 29, 2009

South Korea - Daily North Korea - Original Article (English)

Hwang Jang-yop, president of the Committee for the Democratization of North Korea, harbors serious doubts about the effectiveness of international sanctions in coping with North Korea's second nuclear test. "Sanctions aren't useful at all," he said, "We should neglect them - let them be - even if they conduct ten additional tests."

At a seminar for Seoul students on Mat 28th, Hwang said, "If in its clamor to block North Korean nuclear testing, the international community hardens sanctions, it will only raise the tensions during negotiations. However, if the Kim Jong-il regime conducts many more tests, it will drive the regime to disaster."  

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

Analyzing the second test, Hwang said, "The object is merely to coerce the United States into negotiating directly with North Korea - and to raise the prestige of Kim Jong-il."

He emphasized, "Kim Jong-il knows full well that if he were in fact to use nuclear weapons it would mean his demise, so he will never do so. Therefore, the international community need not create a storm by using sanctions that they will subsequently fail to enforce. It should instead use the tactic of neglect. … Although China says publicly, 'North Korea won't be moved by our points,' Beijing is in fact using the situation to boost its own value as a mediator. China will never directly tell North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons - even if China does say anything, Kim Jong-il knows it's just diplomatic rhetoric."

But Hwang added, "If China could be persuaded to cut its alliance with Pyongyang, North Korea would go to ruin. Frequent Korean nuclear tests would result in great dissension within China, and if tests that China doesn't wish to see continue, Beijing might eventually turn its back on the North."

SEE ALSO ON THIS:

Korea Central News, North Korea: America 'Wholly to Blame' for Nuclear Threat to World

Korea Central News, North Korea: South Korea 'Declares War'

Daily North Korea, South Korea: Why Did North Korea Hold a Nuclear Test Now?

Daily North Korea, South Korea: Regime Change is Only Solution for North Korea

The Asia Times, Hong Kong: Beijing Weighs its Options

The Hanyoreh, South Korea: Paricipation in U.S.-Led Maritime WMD Control a Mistake for Seoul

JoongAng Ilbo, South Korea: South Must Delay Transfer of Wartime Control from U.S. to South

Yonhap News Agency, South Korea: Obama's 'Tough Challenge' from Stubborn Kim Jong-il

Hwang finished by saying, "Isolating North Korea with China-friendly policies is the most important element. From the South Korean administration's perspective, it should pretend to respect North Korea while keeping it at arm's length and neglecting it.

Beyond this, the administration should leave criticism of North to non-governmental organizations."

[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US May 31, 10:26pm]