hankyoreh

and this is the first time since then that he has been seen in a western suit. He could continue to wear western attire from now. (Yonhap News)

December 17 marks three years to the day since the Kim Jong-un regime took power in North Korea after the death of former leader Kim Jong-il. In that time, the North Korean nuclear issue has only gotten worse, and the political climate on the peninsula remains unstable. Now more than ever, North Korea needs to show a firm resolve to denuclearize.

As leader, Kim Jong-un has only exacerbated his country’s international isolation. In Feb. 2013, he carried out a third nuclear test. That December, he shocked the international community by having his onetime second-in-command, National Defense Commission vice chairman Jang Song-thaek, summarily executed. It seems natural enough that the international community would be ramping up its powerful human rights pressures, with the adoption of a resolution on the issue by the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee last month.

There have been attempts to institute Kim’s own brand of economic reforms, including special economic zones and various measures to introduce market economy elements, but no clear results have emerged. Relations with China, the North’s traditional ally, remain chilly. In short, the new regime has yet to really find its footing.

The situation on the peninsula threatens to only grow more unstable if things continue on this way. In 2012, Pyongyang formalized a two-track approach of developing its nuclear program and economy together. Now we are hearing it repeatedly stating its plans to strengthen its nuclear deterrent in the face of the international community’s human rights pressures. Basically, it’s staking everything on stronger nuclear capabilities. But this is a grave miscalculation on Pyongyang’s part. If it does attempt a new nuclear test, it would be crossing a line in its relations with the rest of the world. What Kim should be doing now is abandoning the brinksmanship and nuclear threats in favor of finding a way to achieve reform and openness that doesn’t rely on a nuclear program.

North Korea is standing at a crossroads, facing a choice between deeper international isolation or a new relationship with the world -- including a new start to discussions on denuclearization. The first test lies in its relationship with Seoul. If North Korea insists on continuing on with its antagonism with the South, the international community is going to doubt whether it’s even capable of change. It’s not practical to put relations with the rest of the world ahead of relations with Seoul, and Pyongyang’s plans for economic cooperation with Russia, which have recently been the topic of serious discussion, are not going to accomplish much without active support from the South.

The role of the South Korean government is just as important as Kim Jong-un’s recognition of the stark reality he faces. It wouldn’t be out of line to say that Seoul is the only actor capable of taking proactive steps right now to set up a new framework. It’s a good sign, then, to see its recent moves to thaw some of the chill with Pyongyang. We can’t resign ourselves to a repeat of the last three years under the Kim Jong-un regime.

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