Both Koreas Should Take One Step Back
Monday was a meaningful day in terms of the international relationship surrounding the Korean Peninsula for two reasons.
Exactly one month had passed since a North Korean guard shot and killed a South Korean tourist, who wandered into a military area next to the Mt. Geumgang resort.
It also marked the 45th day since the U.S. administration notified Congress of its decision to remove North Korea from the list of states sponsoring terrorism. Washington can take action any time now, as there were no Congressional objections to it during this period.
The two pending issues may have no common points except for one: Pyongyang holds the key in bringing about any progress in them ― but is dragging its feet at its own disadvantages.
As far as the shooting of Park Wang-ja, a 53-year-old housewife, goes, North Korea is nothing but an instance of ``evil-doer's audacity." The isolationist regime has not only rejected Seoul's call for a joint investigation, but kicked out South Korean government and business officials from the tour zone.
North Korean officials are reportedly saying, ``We just acted according to our military rules and went so far as to express regret as the victim was a civilian. What more do you want?"
Even if their assertions were true, it only reveals the wide gap between two Koreas in how they regard the immeasurable value of human life. Pyongyang should understand the bitter grief of bereaved family members as well as the shock most South Koreans felt at their Northern compatriots' heartlessness and impudence.
Some North Korean officials were known to ask what the ill-fated woman was doing in the area in the wee hours. If for no other reason than solving such questions, Pyongyang should accept Seoul's request for a joint probe.
Through the latest eviction of South Korean officials, North Korea is showing its determination to never yield to the Seoul government, even if it leads to the indefinite suspension of the lucrative tour project. Pyongyang should know, however, that there are actually not many South Koreans dying to tour the mountain. South Koreans' visits there are to maintain the spirit of inter-Korean cooperation and reconciliation, a point North Korea should not misunderstand.
If Pyongyang's boldness comes from their belief of an accelerating thaw in relations with Washington, including its scheduled de-listing from the terrorism sponsorship list, the communist regime should think twice.
The 45 days was a minimum ― not maximum ― requirement for the U.S. lifting of sanctions, which Washington will not turn into reality unless Pyongyang agrees to a strong verification regime of the North's denuclearization.
Even if the U.S. takes action, it is only a necessary condition for the North's economic revival, but hardly a sufficient one, as the bulk of money will come from none other than South Korean investors.
The prolonged strain in inter-Korean relationship is a definite minus for South Korea, too, for both political and economic reasons. The government should take the lead in resolving this stringency through mutual concession.
Unfortunately, the incumbent administration seems to have neither the will nor the capacity to do so.
