[Editorial] North Korea Betrayed International Community Again

Yesterday, a North Korean cargoship loaded with missiles was intercepted. This incident demonstrates what the North really intends. On appearance, North Korea has talked about peace with South and other nations in the world. In fact, however, it has been proliferating nuclear weapons around the globe. We feel devastated. We get scared with an anachronistic regime on the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, which barely survives its people with aids from around the world, but sells missiles. Why should Kim Jung Il act this way?

Let`s look at the world. The world has crystallized its concerns about weapons of mass destruction into a U.N. resolution, which has enabled the ongoing weapons inspection in Iraq. In other words, the international community has been put on alert against proliferation of nuclear weapons and missiles. Even under these circumstances, North Korea attempted to sell missiles, and got caught "on the spot." It`s more than just serious. In addition, there is no guarantee that North Korea would not use its nuclear weapons under development in the future.

North Korea betrayed the international community. The international community has given food and medicine to the starving North Koreans out of humanity. But North Korean paid them back with exportation of weapons of mass destruction. It has become clear once more how dangerous the North Korean regime is for the world peace. The final destination of the shipment is not known now. What we know for sure now is that North Korea is encouraging the arms race in the Middle East, which is on the brink of bursting into a war.

North Korea got face to face with the United States at a dead end. As heralded through the Armitage Report of 1999, the United States has persistently come up with various countering measures to deter North Korea`s exportation of weapons of mass destruction including interception of North Korean vessels. After a long observation, the United States has succeeded in obtaining the hard evidence supporting its long time suspicion. In the meanwhile, the White House made it public that, in the future, the United States would use an "overwhelming force" including use of nuclear weapons against any attack with weapons of mass destruction. Considering the firm determination on the part of the United States, this incident is likely to bring in more serious consequences than North Korea`s admission of its nuclear weapons program.

Of course, we are not a third party to this matter. Kim Dae Jung administration should react wisely. We know we first have to wait for some time and see what the government would do. But our government should not forget what it must do: to criticize North Korea`s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and to demand North should change itself.