hankyoreh

North Korean National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il met with Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Friday and expressed interest in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and peace in Northeast Asia. It was the first time he had met with a high-level foreign delegation since rumors that he was in poor health emerged in the fall of last year. It would appear that he is trying to set a new stage for his country on the occasion of the start of the Obama administration in the United States.

The new environment can be seen in three areas. The first would be what looks like the formation of an atmosphere for direct negotiation between the United States and North Korea. “We are working for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” said Kim. “I hope that Chinese cooperation and harmony endeavors to progress the six-party talks.” That kind of talk is going to put new energy in the stalemated six-party process. The U.S. State Department said it welcomed the comments, and that it is going to move to review policy towards Pyongyang. That is a friendly response. When Kim said he “hopes to see us moving forward peacefully with the countries that are related to the process,” you hear his desire to improve relations with Washington.

Then there would be the part about China’s role. In meeting with Wang, you saw how Kim has hopes for China’s involvement. Wang personally delivered a letter from Chinese leader Hu Jintao, so he was for all practical purposes a special emissary, and Kim accepted Hu’s invitation to visit Beijing. The year 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pyongyang and Beijing, and the last time Kim visited China was in January 2006. He expressed appreciation for the constructive role China has played as the host nation of the six-party talks. China, in turn, has the same interests, since it wants to be able to speak with a bigger voice in matters of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

Finally, there is Kim’s expression of an interest in better inter-Korean relations. “I do not want to see the forming of tensions in the political situation on the peninsula,” he said. This would mean that while he is going to respond to Seoul’s policies towards the North, he does not want to see a ruinous relationship. And he put the pressure on the South when he said he hopes it would actively respect the June 15 and October 4 declarations.

This shift on the part of North Korea provides an opportunity to make advances at the six-party talks and in discussing a peace regime for the Northeast Asian region. It has been confirmed that rumors Kim is in poor health are weak in their basis. The United States and China will make proactive use of this situation. The biggest obstacle for the South to overcome is inter-Korean relations. The relationship is at an impasse right now, giving Seoul increasingly less room in which to maneuver. It also hurts our ability to respond to an outbreak of an undesirable situation. Now is the time for Seoul to wholly review its policies towards Pyongyang.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]