(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Jan. 29) - Lip service to peace

The future of the stalled six-party talks aimed at denuclearization of North Korea got a boost this week with the new U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying that it was "essential" for the United States to pursue the multilateral talks.

In her first press meeting since assuming office, Clinton said that the six-party
talks had been "useful not only vis-a-vis North Korea, but among the
participating nations on related matters in the region."
Clinton's remarks may put to rest any speculation that the six-party talks' use
as a means to achieve nuclear disarmament of the communist state may be
reconsidered. There appear to be differences between Clinton and the Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates on the effectiveness of the six-party talks. However, given
the Obama administration's emphasis on diplomacy, it is likely that the United
States will continue to use the six-party talks as the primary tool for
negotiating North Korean nuclear disarmament.
Last Friday, North Korea's Kim Jong-il, in a meeting with the visiting head of
Chinese Communist Party's International Department Wang Jiarui, said that
Pyongyang was willing to "strengthen coordination and cooperation with China and
push forward the six-party process without interruption." Kim also said that that
North Korea was "devoted" to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and "hopes to live
in peace with all other sides."
Kim's meeting with Wang was the first time that he received a high-level foreign
visitor since reportedly suffering a stroke last summer. Last week's meeting also
came on the heels of the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama. In all
likelihood, the meeting with Wang was an orchestrated one designed to relay the
message that Pyongyang is open to talks with the new administration in
Washington.
At the same time, the meeting bolstered Beijing's position in the six-party
process, which is chaired by China. With Obama on record as saying he is willing
to talk directly with Kim, China may have felt that its influence over Pyongyang
as its patron state may slip. Importantly, the meeting also showed that Kim was
still firmly in command in Pyongyang.
Kim said that North Korea was "not willing to see tensions emerge in the
peninsula." Yet, North Korea's military only a few days earlier had issued
markedly hostile statement against Seoul, threatening "an all-out confrontation
posture" against South Korea.
Pyongyang also took issue with the President Lee Myung-bak's choice of a
conservative academic, who was responsible for his North Korea policy, as head of
the unification ministry. The Lee administration is pushing inter-Korean
relations "deeper into the abyss of confrontation and ruin" by appointing Hyun
In-taek as the new unification minister, Pyongyang said.
Kim Jong-il is sending messages to the new administration in Washington that it
wishes to proceed with the nuclear disarmament process. He says North Korea wants
to live in peace with all sides. To be taken seriously about its intention to
live in peace, North Korea should stop its vitriolic ramblings against Seoul. As
for the resumption of denuclearization talks, it knows precisely what needs to be
done - signing a verification protocol.
(END)