[Editorial] Intolerable North’s Saber Rattling

On June 29, 2002, North Korean patrol ships made military advances in the Yellow Sea. It is not tolerable and excusable in any respect. According to the report released by our military, North’s ships crossed the western NLL (Northern Limit Line) and ventured into our territory. Then they fired at our military speedboats, which seems highly intentional. As a result, 25 of our solders were dead or injured. It is an act of a beast. North’s act violates the Armed Truce Agreement and threatens the detente atmosphere ripening between the two Koreas.

We do not know why North acted irresponsibly. But we know we are stabbed in the back, and we should not condone. We have made efforts to understand and help them overcome the current problems facing the North. We did so only for humanitarian purposes and believed we are of same ethnic origin. Our government has done its utmost to relieve the tension by arranging economic agreements and sending aids of rice and manure. Numerous civic organizations voluntarily faced hardships in helping the North and its people. For all of these, we got nothing back. North ignored our warning to go back into the North and engaged themselves in attacks.

This saber rattling proves the Sun Shine policy of this administration is well off the mark. It is too premature. How well this policy may have been intended to stimulate the opening, reform of the North and relieve the tension, the government forgot an important fact: the Northern regime has not budged at all. The North evidenced all of these this time. How can we keep believing in the Sun Shine policy?

The North and South have cultivated harmony ever since the June 15th Mutual Agreement: Minister-level talks held six times and 4 times of Family Reunions. But the North has not been dedicated to enforcement of the Agreement. Also, they have frequently broken into pieces the promises they made. It didn’t stop there. They wanted something more. Now, they are increasing the tension around the Korean Peninsula through their military action.

Our government should show its determination. We should respond with powerful and thorough measures, thereby deterring the North egoistic, unreasonable actions in the future. Secondary matters, such as talks between US-North and South-North, should not hinder our response. If the North intends to take advantage of the dispute over the Sun Shine policy or tests our readiness, we should teach them they are wrong.

The North should take the full responsibility. They turned their back on the World Cup festival engulfing the whole country. On the contrary, their irrational military action almost froze it. How would the world think of their stupid action, which took place when the global community is enjoying in the joy of the World Cup.

If the North wants to regain the world’s confidence at all, they should apologize for violating the Truce and compensate for the damage they cause. Just one more lip service or “pipe promise” will not suffice. Otherwise, the world will turn its back.