[Editorial] N. Korea Shouldn’t Miss This Opportunity

In the interview with The Washington Post on Thursday, President Lee proposed the establishment of a permanent liaison office in Pyongyang, North Korea. He said that his administration, if possible, hopes to utilize the office in order to promote a high-level diplomatic channel between Seoul and Pyongyang. He laid out some specifics, such as the appointment of someone who can directly deliver the message to the leader of that country.

In an earlier interview with CNN, Lee also mentioned North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s frequent viewing of CNN, stressing, “I would like to urge Chairman Kim to join hands together to create peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.” Lee’s message portrays the intention to deliver good faith to the North Korean leader regarding the resumption of high-level talks. In other words, Lee seems to be offering a new opportunity to the North on his first official visit to the United States, which would have significant impact on inter-Korean relations.

Positive changes in the U.S. position towards North Korea are in the offing. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, on Thursday, that even before the North’s nuclear program is fully verified, we may partially life sanctions imposed on Pyongyang. A White House source also indicated a more flexible response from Washington, saying North Korea’s nuclear issue should not be approached the same way as towards its plutonium program. The United States has rolled up its sleeves to assist the North to fulfill its promise of nuclear disarmament, since top U.S. nuclear envoys and North Korea reached an agreement on the North’s suspected uranium enrichment program, in Singapore last weekend.

North Korea shouldn’t bungle this golden opportunity. It should reply to the call when South Korea and the Unites States show their willingness to resolve denuclearization, remove North Korea`s economic hardship, and help the communist country make progress towards participating in the international community. Even its long-cherished desire to remove North Korea from the U.S. list of state-sponsored terrorism may be just around the corner. Pyongyang should remember that the era is gone when its old tactics to create tension in Seoul or to provoke anti-American sentiment among South Korean people using hackneyed phrases, worked. Now, Pyongyang should muster capability to perceive the shifting mood in Seoul and Washington.

Indeed, inter-Korean talks could resume at any time if the North changes its mind. In the meantime, it may be difficult for the North to accept this at the moment given its consistent objection to the notion. One thing that the North should keep in mind is that it will only find itself on the losing end if it blows off this chance and disregards the gestures of goodwill from the South and the United States. In this regard, we urge North Korea to show prudence and maturity to comply with pragmatic approaches.