Dear editor,

A Nov. 27 Korea Times article, “Anti-China sentiments boiling under surface,” is timely and establishes the facts that the academic world of researchers have been keenly observing for quite some time now.

Although it is premature to say anything as an economist, the writing is clearly on the wall that North Korea is not interested in peace initiatives promoted by South Korea and the international community to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Even though China claims to be neutral in South North disputes, its actions on the ground speak otherwise. Its failure to condemn the latest North Korean attack on South Korea is matter of serious concern.

With China protecting its back North Korea might be encouraged to take more aggressive action against the South in the near future. With this, the possibility of a wider war on Korea becomes very real.

It must be remembered that war will not only destroy the peninsula but will also have worldwide strategic and economic implications. Asia as a whole might end up paying a very heavy price if war occurs on Korean peninsula, especially if nuclear weapons are used.

In this hour crisis on the peninsula, Gandhian principals of nonviolent settlement of disputes (ahimsa) can play very constructive role in solving the crisis.

The Gandhian strategy fulfills all the criteria of innovation with the weapons of ahimsa (nonviolence) and swadeshi, the encouragement of domestic production and boycott of foreign goods as part of the campaign for independence.

Innovation means doing things differently to make the possibility of the impossible. Innovative leaders grow a small idea into a fantastic opportunity. They convert problems into opportunities. They have hindsight, foresight and insight as possessed by Mahatma Gandhi.

We need convex lens leadership with shared vision as Gandhi did by bringing people together instead of concave lens leadership which divide people on irrelevant issues. Today the Gandhian way of dispute and conflict resolution has become more relevant to the Korean Peninsula.

M.M. Goel

Professor of Indian economy

Seoul