Consistency urged in stance toward Pyongyang
By Yi Whan-wo
North Korea's nuclear test last week not only showed Pyongyang has remained unchanged but also underscored inconsistency in policies toward the regime, analysts said Tuesday.
Tactics being employed by Seoul and Washington concerning their relations with Pyongyang have varied depending on the political views of their respective governments, either conservative or liberal.
The inconsistency and ambiguity in such policies are partly responsible for the escalating tensions on the Peninsula, they said.
In contrast, China has maintained a relatively consistent stance regarding Pyongyang's nuclear program, according to the analysts.
North Korea purportedly detonated its first hydrogen bomb in its fourth nuclear test, Wednesday, hinting that it has made advances in its nuclear technology since its previous tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
Concerned about a possible collapse of the Kim Jong-un regime and the influx of millions of refugees, Beijing is apparently reluctant to punish Pyongyang in spite of international pressure.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is distrustful of Pyongyang's erratic leader Kim Jong-un, remains mum on whether his country will take a leading role in economic sanctions against the North.
The possible punitive measures include cutting off oil supplies to North Korea, which is heavily reliant on China for crude oil imports.
"The flyby of a B-52 bomber, Sunday, is a good example that shows South Korea and the U.S. have repeatedly failed to understand that North Korea will never give up its nuclear arsenal," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
The U.S. sent the long-range bomber, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, to South Korea in a show of force after North Korea conducted the nuclear test.
The B-52 bomber was sent from Andersen Air Base in Guam, Sunday, and landed at the U.S. Forces Korea's Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province before returning to Guam.
In 2013, a B-52 and a pair of B-2 stealth bombers were flown over the peninsula separately in the wake of Pyongyang's third nuclear test.
"Such shows of force are intended as warnings to North Korea but it seems Kim was not intimidated because both South Korea and the U.S. have not been successful in implementing effective follow-up measures," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University.
The 2013 test took place when President Park Geun-hye's predecessor Lee Myung-bak was in office.
Former President Lee, a conservative, banned all inter-Korean activities except for those at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex during his five-year term.
President Park, also a conservative, has instead sought to build trust between the two Koreas through dialogue while being stern against any military aggression.
Park's tactics shares common ground to some extent with those of the two late progressive-minded presidents — Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. The pair underscored a need for dialogue with Pyongyang for inter-Korean reconciliation.
"The Park government basically started from scratch regarding inter-Korean relations and apparently did not have enough time to win trust from the erratic North Koran leader," said An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies.
Park also shares U.S. President Barack Obama's "strategic patience," a policy of squeezing North Korea with sanctions while waiting for Pyongyang to make its decision to denuclearize.
Critics are skeptical of Obama's approach, saying "it gave room for Kim to maneuver concerning the nuclear program."
"It's true Pyongyang's first nuclear test took place when the hawkish George W. Bush was the U.S. president. But it would not have thought of conducting another nuclear test if a Republican succeeded Bush instead of Obama from the Democratic Party," said Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute.
An said, "Seoul and Washington have failed in adopting a mixture of carrot and stick tactics in a timely manner."
The analysts stressed a need to convince China to extend its influence on North Korea.
"China's role as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council is essential to effectively press Pyongyang, whether bilaterally or multilaterally," Park Won-gon said.
By Yi Whan-wo
North Korea's nuclear test last week not only showed Pyongyang has remained unchanged but also underscored inconsistency in policies toward the regime, analysts said Tuesday.
Tactics being employed by Seoul and Washington concerning their relations with Pyongyang have varied depending on the political views of their respective governments, either conservative or liberal.
The inconsistency and ambiguity in such policies are partly responsible for the escalating tensions on the Peninsula, they said.
In contrast, China has maintained a relatively consistent stance regarding Pyongyang's nuclear program, according to the analysts.
North Korea purportedly detonated its first hydrogen bomb in its fourth nuclear test, Wednesday, hinting that it has made advances in its nuclear technology since its previous tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
Concerned about a possible collapse of the Kim Jong-un regime and the influx of millions of refugees, Beijing is apparently reluctant to punish Pyongyang in spite of international pressure.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is distrustful of Pyongyang's erratic leader Kim Jong-un, remains mum on whether his country will take a leading role in economic sanctions against the North.
The possible punitive measures include cutting off oil supplies to North Korea, which is heavily reliant on China for crude oil imports.
"The flyby of a B-52 bomber, Sunday, is a good example that shows South Korea and the U.S. have repeatedly failed to understand that North Korea will never give up its nuclear arsenal," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
The U.S. sent the long-range bomber, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, to South Korea in a show of force after North Korea conducted the nuclear test.
The B-52 bomber was sent from Andersen Air Base in Guam, Sunday, and landed at the U.S. Forces Korea's Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province before returning to Guam.
In 2013, a B-52 and a pair of B-2 stealth bombers were flown over the peninsula separately in the wake of Pyongyang's third nuclear test.
"Such shows of force are intended as warnings to North Korea but it seems Kim was not intimidated because both South Korea and the U.S. have not been successful in implementing effective follow-up measures," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University.
The 2013 test took place when President Park Geun-hye's predecessor Lee Myung-bak was in office.
Former President Lee, a conservative, banned all inter-Korean activities except for those at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex during his five-year term.
President Park, also a conservative, has instead sought to build trust between the two Koreas through dialogue while being stern against any military aggression.
Park's tactics shares common ground to some extent with those of the two late progressive-minded presidents — Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. The pair underscored a need for dialogue with Pyongyang for inter-Korean reconciliation.
"The Park government basically started from scratch regarding inter-Korean relations and apparently did not have enough time to win trust from the erratic North Koran leader," said An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies.
Park also shares U.S. President Barack Obama's "strategic patience," a policy of squeezing North Korea with sanctions while waiting for Pyongyang to make its decision to denuclearize.
Critics are skeptical of Obama's approach, saying "it gave room for Kim to maneuver concerning the nuclear program."
"It's true Pyongyang's first nuclear test took place when the hawkish George W. Bush was the U.S. president. But it would not have thought of conducting another nuclear test if a Republican succeeded Bush instead of Obama from the Democratic Party," said Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute.
An said, "Seoul and Washington have failed in adopting a mixture of carrot and stick tactics in a timely manner."
The analysts stressed a need to convince China to extend its influence on North Korea.
"China's role as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council is essential to effectively press Pyongyang, whether bilaterally or multilaterally," Park Won-gon said.
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