(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Dec. 21)

Subtle changes in the North

The Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is an American nonprofit
organization established in 1982 by American entrepreneurs whose top concern is
national security.

Eight BENS members recently visited North Korea, led by the
organization???s current president, former Air Force Gen. Charles G. Boyd. The
U.S. delegation included AIG???s former CEO Maurice Greenberg, Chairman of DRS
Technologies Mark Newman and Chairman of the Board of Perot Systems Henry Ross
Perot, Jr.
They are said to have visited the North at the invitation of North Korean
authorities, which have been in contact with BENS for several years. It is likely
a coincidence that they visited Pyongyang after U.S. Special Representative for
North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth???s visit to the North two weeks ago.
Nevertheless, we are paying special attention to their behavior because BENS
helped abolish nuclear weapons in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At that time, the U.S. removed more than
7,000 nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus. In return, the CIS
countries were promised safety, economic incentives and incorporation into
Western society, in accordance with the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction
Program (CRT) in 1991.
Companies under the control of BENS were responsible for removing and destroying
the weapons and other nuclear materials, after securing a commercial contract
with the U.S. government.
The resumption of the six-party talks is still clouded with difficulties, but if
North Korea decides to give up its nuclear weapons, there is a high possibility
that the U.S. companies will spearhead their removal.
Subtle changes are already being noticed in North Korea after the visit by
Bosworth. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il suddenly visited the Rajin-Sonbong Free
Economic and Trade Zone, which has been neglected for a while. Also unexpected
was Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping???s plea to President Lee to improve
inter-Korean relations through dialogue when Xi visited Korea last week.
Despite these promising developments, we still worry. The incumbent
administration could end up being ???a duck egg in the Nakdong River,??? floating
alone with no help in sight. The Lee government must not give up its policy
toward North Korea and devote all its energies to achieving a ???grand
bargain.???
(END)