North Korean troops yell nasty things about South
Korea’s president: It
was reported last week that hunger in the country is so severe, that the
height requirement for new North Korean troops has been reduced from
4 feet, 9 inches to 4 feet, 7
inches.
For the Good of All, China Must ‘Join
the Scrum’ Against North Korea (Nishi Nippon Shimbun, Japan)
“It was extraordinary to see Obama ask Pyongyang
to dispense with fear of the outside world. We hope that North Korea’s new
governing elite takes Obama’s call seriously. In the real world, however, it is
unlikely Pyongyang will change. If the net surrounding North Korea starts
fraying around the edges, it will no longer be effective. … We hope China joins
the North Korea scrum.”
The top agenda item at the Nuclear Security Summit was
how to keep nuclear material from getting into the hands terrorists. But those attending
the summit, including U.S. President Obama and Chinese and Russian leaders, held
their own bilateral talks with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak,
energetically discussing how to deal with the North Korean “satellite” launch. On
the second day of the summit, Japan Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda also joined
the summit.
For all intents and purposes, the satellite launch
announced by North Korea appears to be a long-range ballistic missile test. Even
Chinese President HuJintao,
usually supportive of North Korea, expressed concern during the talks, indicating
that China would work closely with Japan, the United States and South Korea to
prevent the launch.
“North Korea must provide food for its people before
launching missiles,” remarked North Korea ally and president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev,
who said that he unequivocally opposed the move.
Except for North Korea, with China, Russia, Japan, the
United States as well as South Korea expressing opposition, all participants of
the Six-Party Talks are united. If not to the degree of Japan, the U.S. and
South Korea, China in particular deserves praise for recognizing the threat
posed by Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile development. It is clear that the net
is meaningfully tightening around North Korea. The formation of the coalition
against North Korea is a significant step.
During a speech at Seoul’s Hankuk
University, President Obama, who strongly opposed the missile test at the
summit, called out to North Korea’s new leader Kim Jong-un.
“Here in Korea, I want to speak
directly to the leaders in Pyongyang. The United States has no hostile intent
toward your country,”
Obama said.
“Instead of the dignity you desire, you're more isolated. Instead
of earning the respect of the world, you've been met with strong sanctions and
condemnation. You can continue down the road you are on, but we know where that
leads. It leads to more of the same -- more broken dreams, more isolation, ever
more distance between the people of North Korea and the dignity and the
opportunity that they deserve,” he
continued.
It was
extraordinary to see Obama ask Pyongyang to dispense with fear of the outside
world and abandon nuclear development to take a step toward cooperating with
the international community. We hope that North Korea’s new governing elite takes
Obama’s call seriously.
In the
real world, however, it is unlikely Pyongyang will change its position. In a statement from the
North Korean Foreign Ministry, the regime rebuked Obama’s criticism and insisted
it would not cancel the launch. The five nations that have joined together to
prevent the launch must assume that the North will go ahead with the launch,
and prepare their next move.
It appears that this
time, China is cooperating with Japan, the U.S. and South Korea because Beijing
fears that the February agreement between North Korea and the U.S. would be
scuttled by the missile test, resulting in a loss of leverage in regard to halting
Pyongyang’s uranium enrichment. China has been working to resume Six-Party Talks
by using the U.S-North Korea agreement as a stepping stone, and is becoming
increasingly suspicious of North Korea’s unnecessarily and inflammatory antics.
However, if Japan, the
U.S. and South Korea table a resolution at the U.N. Security Council condemning
and seeking sanctions against the North, China is unlikely to back it. Beijing still
intends to shield Pyongyang, as demonstrated by a visit by top officials in
February when food aid was discussed. If so, the situation is unlikely to change.
If the net surrounding
North Korea starts fraying around the edges, it will no longer be effective. Actions
speak louder than words. We hope China joins the North Korea scrum.
