[Analysis] North Korea’s two complaints

Posted on : 2014-02-07 14:25 KST Modified on : 2014-02-07 14:25 KST
Pyongyang objects to B-52 strategic bomber being flown near Korea yesterday and S. Korean media criticism
 who is from North Korea’s Hwanghae Province
who is from North Korea’s Hwanghae Province

By Choi Hyun-june, staff reporter

North Korea basically has two complaints that led Pyongyang to threaten to pull the plug on divided family reunions scheduled for later this month. The first is related to critical reports in the South Korean press about North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, referred to as the “supreme dignity.”

“[South Korea] does not hesitate to rashly revile our supreme dignity and to absurdly slander our regime in its treatment of our highest leaders’ visit to a daycare center,” said the spokesperson of North Korea’s National Defense Committee. The statement took issue with recent reports by South Korean newspapers that criticized Kim Jong-un for not taking off his shoes when he visited a daycare center.

In the “important proposal” that North Korea issued on Jan. 16, the first request that it made was refraining from mutual slander and libel. The North also said that it would move forward with discontinuing such behavior.

The other issue angering the North is the fact that an American B-52 bomber was carrying out aerial drills over the West (Yellow) Sea on the day that North and South were discussing the divided family reunions. Continuing its criticism of the South, the statement said, “Formations of American B-52 strategic bombers brought over from Guam spent the entire day in the skies above the Korean West [Yellow] Sea engaged in nuclear strike drills targeting us.” Pyongyang’s point is that the South was taking part in talks while at the same time carrying out military drills using weapons capable of delivering a nuclear attack.

North Korea’s second complaint in particular was related to a imprudent misstep on the part of the South Korean government. The government could not have forestalled North Korea’s first complaint, since it concerned reports printed by domestic papers. But since the government could have done something about the B-52 bomber exercises, it gives North Korea an excuse for breaking its agreement.

On the pretext of these two complaints, North Korea once again asked the South to cancel the US-ROK joint military exercises, which it has so staunchly opposed until now. This is a completely reversal from its behavior the previous day. During the meeting about the divided family reunions, the North made virtually no mention of the exercises.

There are also criticisms that can be made of North Korea’s attitude. During the working-level meeting for the divided family reunions on Wednesday, North Korea had indicated that it accepted a partial overlap between the schedules of the reunions and the military exercises. North Korea’s behavior even elicited a positive assessment from the South Korean government, which said that the North had shown sincerity.

In the meeting, the North Korean delegation indicated their hope that the South Korea would not conduct hostile activities that would damage the atmosphere of reconciliation.

Given that North Korea is fully aware that South Korea and the US are unable to cancel or delay the planned military exercises, North Korea’s decision to take issue with the exercises themselves after already agreeing to the schedule cannot be exempted from criticism.

"It is impossible to know what North Korea’s intentions are,” one government official said on condition of anonymity. “But if the North really has no plans to hold the reunions, this appears to be an attempt to shift the blame for the reunions falling through onto the South.”

Considering that the North did not immediately cancel the agreement to hold the divided family reunion talks, this looks like an attempt to hold onto the initiative and control the pace of inter-Korean relations.

“North Korea seems to be trying to set the rhythm and stay in charge of the situation, while sending a message that it could cancel the agreement if the South does not dance to its tune,” said Kim Chang-su, director of research at the Korea National Strategy Institute. “It looks like a sort of psychological warfare.”

 

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

button that move to original korean article (클릭시 원문으로 이동하는 버튼)

Most viewed articles