hankyoreh

The large-scale South Korea-U.S. West Sea joint military exercise in response to North Korea’s attack on Yeonpyeong Island began yesterday and will continue until Dec. 1. The atmosphere is one of increased tension surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
The exercise, which includes the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, may exert psychological pressure on North Korea, but it is not a way to resolve the current situation. On the contrary, it may easily cause new clashes between North Korea and South Korea or exacerbate political conditions on the peninsula by deepening the conflict between the United States and China. Under such circumstances, where a military solution is in reality impossible, there is ultimately no choice but to search for a diplomatic way out. The South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise must not become an obstacle to reaching a diplomatic solution.
China is the country currently making the most conspicuous diplomatic efforts. Since the artillery attack of Yeongpyeong Island, Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, in charge of diplomacy regarding the incident, has visited South Korea, the United States, North Korea, Japan and Russia in turn, and has been in South Korea again since yesterday. Though China’s active attitude is in some respects a reflection of its own embarrassing circumstances, it is well-timed in terms of its efforts to reach a diplomatic solution. It is also time for South Korea and other countries involved to try and reach such a solution.
A diplomatic solution must first of all be one that prevents the situation from getting any worse. If, under the current circumstances, further clashes occur in the West Sea or elsewhere, there is no excluding the possibility that the situation could escalate into more than a regional war.
It is important to send clear signals to North Korea to prevent it from making further misguided decisions, but all countries involved also need to be cool in their handling of the situation so as not to give North Korea a pretext to do so.
A diplomatic solution must of course involve making North Korea clearly acknowledge its serious mistake and contribute to the formation of a policy that prevents such a mistake from being made again. In this regard, South Korea and the United States must make sure that activities such as the joint military exercises do not exacerbate conflict between the United States and China. This is because China’s active cooperation is essential in bringing about change in North Korea’s attitude.
A diplomatic solution must also include a guarantee of sustained stability and improvement in the political circumstances on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island is currently the biggest issue, but the political turmoil is also due to the worsening North Korean nuclear problem and deep mistrust between the countries involved. Unless these issues are approached in a serious way, new conflict, be it intentional or otherwise, may occur. In this respect, increasing efforts for the resumption of the six-party talks is highly important. South Korea and the United States must show a forward-looking attitude in response to suggestions by China, the next host of the six-party talks, that they be held next month.
North Korea’s recent behavior, such as the surprise exposure of its uranium enrichment facility and the bombardment of civilian houses on Yeonpyeong Island, has gone beyond the bounds of convention. Nonetheless, if the response of other countries involved goes no further than criticizing North Korea and taking off-the-cuff measures, it will be difficult to change North Korea’s attitude or to reach a fundamental solution. Continued use of impromptu tough responses, in particular, could lead to the formation of a structure whereby armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula, as in parts of the Middle East, becomes part of daily life.
In order to be more effective, a diplomatic solution must show all the countries involved to be in tune. Above all, South Korea must look thoroughly at the present and the future and find a central position, taking into account the stances of each country. Making good use of China, in particular, is key.
　　
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