[Editorial] Time for North Korea to learn from Cuba’s pragmatism

Posted on : 2014-12-19 15:47 KST Modified on : 2014-12-19 15:47 KST

On Dec. 17, the US and Cuba announced that they would put 53 years of hostility behind them and take steps to normalize diplomatic relations. Establishing normal diplomatic relations is historically significant, as it represents clearing up the vestiges of the Cold War. The move should also be welcomed as it can serve as a model for improving relations between North Korea and the US.

Policy makers in North Korea and the US should be listening carefully to the remarks made by the leaders of the US and Cuba.

“We know from hard-learned experience that it is better to encourage and support reform than to impose policies that will render a country a failed state,” US President Barack Obama said during a press conference.

This represents an honest admission of the failure of the long-standing US embargo on Cuba that was supposed to forge regime change. The remarks can also be applied to American policy toward North Korea.

Cuban President Raul Castro spoke of the need to adopt a more sophisticated attitude and learn how to coexist with each other despite their differences. The idea could come in handy for the leadership of North Korea.

A number of practical considerations contributed to the bold decision made by the two leaders. First of all, the US’s insistence on maintaining the embargo on Cuba for more than 20 years after the close of the Cold War has only led to its own isolation. The government also felt pressure from millions of Cuban-Americans, who have began to embrace the idea of improving relations with Cuba.

Raul Castro, a veteran of the revolution who replaced his ailing brother Fidel as leader in 2008, has steadily pushed for improving relations with the US along with openness and reforms.

But most important of all was the daring of President Obama. Hardly anyone expected that he would opt to abruptly announce the normalization of diplomatic relations instead of taking gradual steps to improve relations.

Credit should also be given to Pope Francis, the first Latin American head of the Vatican, for his role as a mediator in the negotiations between the two countries.

The attention of the international community is now shifting toward the future of relations between the US and North Korea. Since Obama became president, the US has normalized relations or entered negotiations with a number of countries under embargo, including Cuba, Myanmar, and Iran. Practically speaking, North Korea is the only country left.

In contrast with Cuba, the greatest obstacle in North Korea is the security issue of its nuclear weapons and missiles, many experts believe. But just as with Cuba, there is no reason to rule out a change of relations, presuming that both sides adjust their attitudes and find an appropriate mediator.

Given this situation, the recent calls for dialogue with North Korea in the American government are encouraging. North Korea needs to learn from the pragmatic attitude adopted by Cuba, which has focused on improving the lives of its people and taking a more flexible approach in its foreign relations.

The normalization of relations between the US and Cuba could be an opportunity to change the mood in the international community, which has focused on conflict over cooperation in recent years. In particular, South Korea needs to play an active role so that the goals of addressing North Korea’s nuclear program and normalizing relations between North Korea and the US can be achieved simultaneously. The departure point should be improving inter-Korean relations and resuming the six-party talks.

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