What are the preconditions for an end to the North Korea crisis? While most Western observers would say a regime change in Pyongyang is the key, Beijing warns just the opposite. According to this editorial from China’s state-run Huanqiu, only a ‘guarantee of DPRK national and regime security’ coupled with a ‘normalization of North Korea’s economy’ will bring an end to the crisis. Meanwhile, according to the state-approved editorial, rather than asserting itself on the issue, China should ‘go with the flow.’
The Huanqiu editorial says in part:
After this latest action by North Korea, the U.S. and South Korea will find it difficult to come up with new countermeasures. The North Korea nuclear issue is almost completely out of control, and countries in the region are watching as Pyongyang, at least for the moment, has gained the advantage in its confrontation with the U.S.-South Korea alliance, and is creating instability in Northeast Asia.
Perhaps the outside world needs to take another look at North Korea in order to understand that there are a number of issues that will make the country harder to deal with in the future.
First, in the context of the Cold War paradigm that exists on the Korean Peninsula, the chances of persuading the North to give up its nuclear program are slim to none. Outside of course, the international community can insist that it will never acknowledge North Korea’s nuclear status. But it would be more realistic to seek a freeze in its nuclear status in order to prevent it from conducting new nuclear tests.
Second, preconditions for a soft-landing of this entire situation are a normalization of North Korea’s economy, as well as a guarantee of DPRK national and regime security. Until that happens, Pyongyang will continue to make trouble.
Third, the situation will not change if the South acquires nuclear weapons. Even then, South Korea will continue to be held “hostage” by the North.
Not since the crisis of October 1962 – 50 years ago, has the world seen such a risk of nuclear war.
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