Blackmailing out of fear

By Shim Jae-yun

Any classmate from Kim Jong-un’s student days in Switzerland might be surprised to see the young North Korean dictator resorting to the toughest possible stance of blackmailing the world with nuclear weapons.

Though yet to be fully confirmed, it is generally believed Kim was a quiet and even isolated student with a lack of ability to communicate in English.

Records show Kim was far from smart, and lagged behind others in most classes, with the exception of music and sports such as football and basketball.

These days, Kim seems to be a real strongman, flexing his muscles against South Korea and its and the world’s most powerful ally, the United States. Despite his flamboyant gestures, however, some say they see a glimpse of fear in his eyes. Being afraid means being destined to lose the game.

Kim’s late father, Kim Jong-il, was said to have felt extreme fear, to the extent of being tempted to kill himself, when his father and founder of the Kim dynasty Kim Il-sung died in 1994. The situation is reminiscent of the tragedy faced by young royal successors during the Joseon Kingdom who struggled due to constant threats of being killed by potential political foes.

The young Kim is surrounded by senior politicians and military leaders who can turn into enemies at any time, depending on the situation. Many vividly remember how anxiously Kim Jong-il watched a sullen looking Jong-un during a military parade after picking him as his successor, just before he died in 2011.

Many people talk about the possibility of war on the Korean Peninsula. Some say war is inevitable given various factors.

Conservative figures seem to be prompting the North to trigger war by saying most North Koreans may prefer that as they have nothing to lose given their current underprivileged lives. They also say most North Korean soldiers may not oppose war as they have also suffered much under the current military system that requires a 10-year mandatory service without proper incentives.

The only person who shuns war may be Kim himself as he has been basking in the various privileges given the top leader. But what matters is the possibility Kim might be prompted by the people around him and the North Korean citizens to arm himself in preparation for war.

On the other side of the war scenario, there are many who say war is unlikely to happen at all. They cite possible opposition by China, the North’s closest ally. Eager to grapple with imminent economic issues, Chinese leader Xi Jinping seems increasingly intolerable of its irritating neighbor. A growing number of Chinese people have revealed anger against the North’s provocative actions. In addition, the North Korean leader does not seem so stupid as to ignore that all-out war would mean total demise for him.

Kim Jong-un is too young for us to expect wisdom from him. His current blackmailing is nothing but a desperate effort to exercise more leverage out of fear. A fearful mouse can even bite a cat when in extreme danger. Once cornered by all surrounding forces, it is possible Kim may be enticed to make reckless decisions. Against this backdrop, a more comprehensive engagement policy is needed to find a settlement of the current standoff.

North Korea is a tiny and reclusive regime on the peninsula with a weak and fearful young leader. As a stronger brother nation, we need to embrace it to secure peace and reconciliation in Northeast Asia and on the Korea Peninsula, as well.

As President Park Geun-hye put it, we need to ponder why the North is behaving as it does. Exchanging barbed words on a tit-for-tat basis cannot help resolve the problem.