hankyoreh

The stance toward North Korea policy that President Park Geun-hye and US President Barack Obama revealed at their May 7 summit was disappointing, as it represents a continuation of the failed policies of past governments. The framework is not likely to create the momentum for changing the mood on the Korean peninsula, let alone draw a solution for issues such as the North Korean nuclear weapon and missile programs.

During the meeting with Obama, Park explained her trust-building process for the Korean peninsula, which is her proposed way of dealing with North Korea. Obama said in the press conference after the summit that Park’s policy was similar to what he had been doing for the past few years.

During his first term, Obama pursued a policy that was called “strategic patience” which actually means neglecting North Korea. The point of the policy was to wait patiently for North Korea to change, and in tandem with former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s demand that the North denuclearize before anything else could occur, it only made the situation on the Korean peninsula worse.

Obama’s remark that his policy is similar to Park’s trust-building process for the Korean peninsula can be viewed not only as a justification of the policies employed so far but also as an indication that the US will continue to avoid proactively addressing the issue and will instead wait for the situation to change.

Park bears no small responsibility for the fact that Obama is adopting this stance.

During his tour of South Korea, China, and Japan in the middle of April, US Secretary of State John Kerry emphasized the US’s willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korea. This attempt was spurred by the recognition that the policies used heretofore were not enough to find a lasting solution to the issues of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles.

It is no exaggeration to say that South Korea is the only country that is able to encourage such gestures and prompt the US to take a more leading role in dialogue with North Korea. But Park failed to bring a new plan of action and convince the US to adopt it. If anything, she is actually taking away from the existing momentum for change. It was a mistake for Park to behave in this way in her first summit as South Korean president.

In regard to the trust-building process for the Korean peninsula, Park is only reiterating her basic position that she will respond decisively to North Korean provocations while leaving the door open for dialogue. If this outline is not filled with substance about how the level of trust will be increased and how the door for dialogue will be opened, it is basically the same as Lee’s “denuclearization first” principle.

The North Korean issue is not one that affects the everyday lives of Americans, and even if the situation on the Korean peninsula were to deteriorate further, the US would suffer hardly any direct damage. Indeed, the way the hawks in the US see it, having a certain amount of tension in Northeast Asia makes it easier to implement their foreign policy. If the South Korean government does not make a creative effort, it is unlikely that a solution will be found for the issues affecting the Korean peninsula.

The US and South Korea must waste no time in discarding policies toward North Korea that have already proved to be ineffective. It is obvious that pressure alone cannot solve the North Korean problem. Pressure can only be effective when it is preceded by the cooperation of China and proactive efforts from South Korea and the US. In particular, there is no reason to keep avoiding discussions about devising a peace regime for the Korean peninsula.

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