[Editorial] N.K.`s Abandonment of Nuclear Programs Should Come First

North Korea’s sticking to its existing position is like its deceiving South Korea and the international community. Here, there is a case in point. The day before yesterday, Kim Yong-nam, president of the presidium of the North Korea’s parliament insisted, “If the U.S. withdraws from its hostile policy toward North Korea first …” It is doubtful that the leadership in the North understands how serious its admission of maintaining nuclear weapons programs is.

North Korea’s abandoning of it all nuclear programs is a key to the current situation. Everyone knows that if Pyongyang, which has maintained secret nuclear weapons programs against the 1994 arms control act, which guaranteed the North light water reactors in return for its abandoning nuclear programs, goes back to where it was before its breach of the act, further US-North Korean talks are possible. The US did not go too far in its demand to the North.

Moreover, US president George W. Bush stated that he would solve the problem peacefully in consultation with its allies though he made it clear that he would response sternly to the North’s nuclear weapons. Though the North is criticizing the US for its hostile policy toward it, its criticism is like putting the cart before the horse. It should realize that its past untrustworthy acts led the US to take big stick policy in the first place.

It is also difficult to understand that Pyongyang refused to reply at the 8th round of inter-Korean ministerial meeting in which the South asked it for its clear position on its previous admission and its ripple effects. The issue of North Korea`s nuclear weapons is one of pending issues between the US and the North and, at the same time, is also dealt with in the two Koreas` 1992 denuclearization agreement. The North, which has often insisted on inter-Korean cooperation but tries to solve the nuclear issue only with the US excepting the South, is somewhat suspicious.

The North should solve the issue on its own in that it brought about it. The international community including the Korea Energy Development Organization has lent a lot of aid including light water reactors to the North in the premise that it gives up all nuclear programs. If the North first had breached the promise, it could raise an objection to the suspension of the aid. The North will have fewer options in its hands to revive the country than ever before. It is time for the leadership in Pyongyang to judge the situation level-headedly.