hankyoreh

Tensions between North Korea and South Korea are rising quickly over the proposed artillery firing exercises the South Korean military says it will be conducting either today or tomorrow in the West Sea near Yeonpyeong Island. In response to South Korea’s announcement that it plans to go ahead with the exercises “as long as the weather is good,” North Korea has declared that “unpredictable second and third defensive strikes will be inflicted.” If things continue on this way, there could be an even greater clash than last month's Yeonpyeong Island episode.
An emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council was convened early this month at Russia's request. Concerns are also growing among South Koreans, especially the residents of the five West Sea Islands. It would not be an overstatement to call this the highest level of crisis seen since the Korean War.
Under these circumstances, the right course of action is to call a halt to the firing exercises. The Lee Myung-bak administration has emphasized that these are legal exercises taking place within South Korean territory, but the last exercises, conducted in the same area, became the pretext for the North Korean artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island. Even if we have a right to conduct the exercises, there is no reason to do so. We would be better off not conducting them if they will serve to trigger another clash. Once an incident occurs, both sides will be victims, no matter who comes out on top. Postponing or cancelling the exercises would be a forward-thinking choice aimed at preventing the situation from deteriorating further, not an indication of weakness.
In addition, the South Korean government needs to initiate dialogue with North Korea through multiple channels. As long as there is no change in the current situation in which all meaningful channels for dialogue have been severed, there remains the possibility of another clash, and potentially the makings of war. Even if North Korea bears direct responsibility for the recent instability, including the attack on Yeonpyeong Island, a factor in this has been the hardline North Korea policy in effect since the launch of the Lee administration. It is not a responsible approach to talk only about strengthening our military posture, without making any active efforts toward peace. The people of South Korea do not wish to live amid the kind of anxiety we are seeing right now.
North Korea, for its part, needs to immediately stop using South Korea’s exercises as an excuse to heighten tensions. Perhaps its provocations against South Korea have been effective in achieving its own internal solidarity in the short term, but it only worsens the country’s isolation from the international community and weakens the power base of its government. Pyongyang must not misconstrue Chinese and Russian opposition to these exercises, which stems from concerns about potential deterioration of the situation, as support for North Korea. It is also obvious that North Korea should acknowledge its serious mistake with the attack on Yeonpyeong Island and issue a formal apology.
At the moment, the countries involved are engaging in various diplomatic contacts with the goal of stabilizing the situation on the Korean Peninsula and resuming the six-party talks. An important variable in this is Pyongyang’s determination: it needs to halt its provocations against South Korea and show respect for the various existing agreements. North Korea needs to take part actively in efforts to ensure peace on the peninsula and resolve issues affecting it, including the nuclear issue. With regard to the Northern Limit Line issue, which North Korea continues to bring up, the first steps toward a solution can only be found once inter-Korean dialogue has begun. Efforts to peacefully resolve other issues affecting the peninsula are unlikely to gain sufficient force if there is no improvement in inter-Korean relations.
No cause can take precedence over citizen lives, and war must not be allowed to break out on the Korean Peninsula for any reason. The unremitting antagonism between North Korea and South Korea will result in damages for both sides and turn all of Northeast Asia into a field of conflict. Restraint is urgently needed from both South Korea and North Korea. Efforts to maintain peace and fundamentally resolve the issues facing the Korean Peninsula must get under way quickly.

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