By Chung Min-uck
North Korea is signaling willingness to reengage with the outside world following a botched rocket launch in April, experts said Monday.
“By saying it had no immediate plans to conduct a third nuclear test, the North seems to be feeling the international pressure,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute.
On Saturday, Pyongyang stated through its foreign ministry spokesman that “(South Korea) seeks to rattle the nerves of the DPRK (North Korea) to cause it to conduct a nuclear test, though such a thing is not being planned at present.”
The spokesman also said that Seoul’s stance “strained relations between the DPRK and surrounding countries so as to create an atmosphere of putting pressure and sanctions (on North Korea).”
Pyongyang ruled out an imminent nuclear weapon test in a similar statement on May 22.
“I guess the North is starting to reengage with the outside world following international pressure after the failed rocket launch,” said professor Yun Duk-min of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy. “Even China, its closest ally, is opposing the nuclear test.”
Days after the failed rocket launch, the UN Security Council issued a presidential statement unanimously condemning Pyongyang’s provocative act. Beijing also has been clear on its support for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the resumption of the six-party talks aimed at achieving this.
According to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, in 2011 almost 90 percent of Pyongyang’s total external trade came from neighboring economic powerhouse China recording $5.6 billion, a 62.4 percent increase compared to the previous year.
“With Kim Jong-un consolidating his position as new leader, Pyongyang has been more focused on stabilizing the livelihood of the people,” said Cheong. “Internally, it prohibited the export of fishery products and has kept on saying it had a misunderstanding with Washington concerning the scrapping of a leap day deal.”
Following the rocket launch, Washington halted a food aid shipment to the North that had been agreed to on Feb. 29 after Pyongyang promised to suspend nuclear tests, missile launches and enrichment of uranium.
Pyongyang claims the launch was aimed at deploying a satellite and thus was not a violation of the agreement. “The North thinks it’s impossible to engage with the current Lee Myung-bak administration as it is considered as aiming for the regime’s collapse,” said Cheong. “It will keep a hard-line stance until a change in the South’s administration while beginning to engage with other nations including the U.S.”
However, some believe Pyongyang may again be pursuing a dubious contradictory policy to gain the upper hand in foreign relations by continuously changing its position.
“Actions are more important than words,” said a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade official. “We are sticking to the international consensus of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.”
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