Don't let North Korea go unpunished for attack
It is highly important to prevent North Korea from repeating its brutal provocations against South Korea such as its attack on the warship Cheonan in the Yellow Sea on March 26. If the government and the international community fail to do so, they could face more grave consequences from the belligerent military regime. That's why the South and its allies are pushing for fresh sanctions against the recalcitrant North.
The Lee Myung-bak administration is now in the process of weighing all possible options to send a clear message to the Kim Jong-il regime that the North cannot and will not go unpunished for the deadly attack. Lee branded the ship sinking as the North's military provocation, pledging stern action against Pyongyang. Seoul is expected to work out detailed measures when the President issues a statement on the naval disaster Monday.
Let's look at what viable options and actions the South can take against the North for blasting the 1,200-ton frigate Cheonan that broke in half and sank, claiming the lives of 46 sailors. The international investigation panel concluded last Thursday that a North Korean submarine torpedoed the vessel. It made public the propulsion unit of the torpedo that was collected near the explosion site. This is compelling evidence proving that the North was the perpetrator, although it denies the attack.
Seoul officials are seeking to bring the case to the U.N. Security Council. Without question it is the right direction to press ahead with further international sanctions against the communist state. For this, the Lee government must launch an active diplomatic campaign to step up cooperation with the United States and other allies to drum up support for punishment of the North. As experts at home and abroad have already pointed out, it will not be easy to get a new resolution adopted at the Security Council.
However, the Lee administration should not give up its diplomatic efforts because there are limited options on the table. The government is not currently thinking about military action to retaliate against the North's provocation. No doubt the ``eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" approach would only bring devastation not only to the North but also the South. Now, the dilemma is that China, the staunch ally of North Korea and veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, is unwilling to move against Pyongyang.
In this context, Seoul and Washington are required to boost coordinated efforts to obtain China's support for further sanctions. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in China to attend the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue with the rapidly emerging power as part of her week-long visit to Asia, including Japan and South Korea. We hope she will play a certain role in persuading Beijing to join the international effort against the North.
President Lee will meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on May 28 who is to visit South Korea for the Seoul-Beijing-Tokyo tripartite summit. Attention is focused on whether Lee will convey his position on the naval tragedy and seek help from China during the scheduled meeting with Wen. It is time to act more proactively to win over China in connection with the naval incident.
Aside from the multilateral move, South Korea can take separate actions to suspend all inter-Korean economic cooperation projects, excluding the operation of the Gaeseong Industrial Park. It is also considering banning North Korean ships from passing through the Jeju Strait. In addition, Seoul is seeking to hold an anti-submarine drill jointly with the U.S. as well as strengthen its military preparedness.
It is encouraging to read some media reports that Washington is studying its unilateral options, in addition to its multilateral and bilateral move. Such options might include executive orders to tighten U.S. arms embargoes on the North or impose additional financial sanctions against it. We urge the international community to join efforts to teach North Korea the lesson that it will pay the price for its provocative behavior.
