Pressure, dialogue must be implemented simultaneously
The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan have called for stronger international pressure on North Korea in response to Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test, Sept. 9.
In a joint statement after their meeting in New York, Sunday, the three countries said they "explored ways to work together'' to ensure countries fully implement existing U.N. sanctions on the North. They also discussed work in the Security Council to tighten the sanctions and the possibility of taking measures of their own to restrict revenue sources for Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met in New York on the sidelines of the 71st U.N. General Assembly. This is the first time that the three countries have issued a joint statement since 2010 after Pyongyang's artillery attacks on Yeonpyeong Island.
Kerry said Washington remains steadfast in its "commitment to providing extended deterrence, backed by the full range of its nuclear and conventional defense capabilities,'' to Seoul and Tokyo. His remarks were seen as an attempt to calm growing voices in South Korea to arm itself with nuclear weapons.
The trilateral meeting appears well-timed, given that it could serve as a good occasion for the international community to jointly tackle the reclusive state's nuclear and missile provocations. It is especially encouraging that the three ministers concurred on the need to implement existing sanctions fully and take the lead in creating a new U.N. resolution.
But the reality is quite worrisome, considering that the recalcitrant regime in Pyongyang has repeated nuclear and missile provocations in defiance of international sanctions.
China, North Korea's only major ally, has been reluctant to use its influence over Pyongyang out of fear that pushing the isolated regime too hard might result in the collapse of North Korea at the expense of its national interest. The news that a Chinese company has been selling materials needed to make nuclear weapons and missiles to the North raises doubts about Beijing's sincerity in deterring Pyongyang's attempt to develop weapons of mass destruction.
All this raises the need to apply stronger pressure on North Korea that has never been tried so far to help enhance the effectiveness of sanctions. These will include slapping an export embargo on the North's all mineral resources and imposing a "secondary boycott'' on Chinese companies and banks.
But it's also true that sanctions and pressure alone can't help resolve the North's nuclear quagmire. It is notable in this regard that Kerry hinted at the possible resolution of the nuclear issue through negotiations during Sunday's trilateral meeting.
Of course, meaningful negotiations are not easy, considering that Kerry urged Pyongyang to freeze its nuclear program as a first step toward starting serious talks and only a few months remain before the term of the Obama administration ends.
Nonetheless, all options must be on the table so that even the smallest clue to reversing the nuclear deadlock can be found early. For this, the simultaneous implementation of pressure and dialogue is inevitable.
The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan have called for stronger international pressure on North Korea in response to Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test, Sept. 9.
In a joint statement after their meeting in New York, Sunday, the three countries said they "explored ways to work together'' to ensure countries fully implement existing U.N. sanctions on the North. They also discussed work in the Security Council to tighten the sanctions and the possibility of taking measures of their own to restrict revenue sources for Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met in New York on the sidelines of the 71st U.N. General Assembly. This is the first time that the three countries have issued a joint statement since 2010 after Pyongyang's artillery attacks on Yeonpyeong Island.
Kerry said Washington remains steadfast in its "commitment to providing extended deterrence, backed by the full range of its nuclear and conventional defense capabilities,'' to Seoul and Tokyo. His remarks were seen as an attempt to calm growing voices in South Korea to arm itself with nuclear weapons.
The trilateral meeting appears well-timed, given that it could serve as a good occasion for the international community to jointly tackle the reclusive state's nuclear and missile provocations. It is especially encouraging that the three ministers concurred on the need to implement existing sanctions fully and take the lead in creating a new U.N. resolution.
But the reality is quite worrisome, considering that the recalcitrant regime in Pyongyang has repeated nuclear and missile provocations in defiance of international sanctions.
China, North Korea's only major ally, has been reluctant to use its influence over Pyongyang out of fear that pushing the isolated regime too hard might result in the collapse of North Korea at the expense of its national interest. The news that a Chinese company has been selling materials needed to make nuclear weapons and missiles to the North raises doubts about Beijing's sincerity in deterring Pyongyang's attempt to develop weapons of mass destruction.
All this raises the need to apply stronger pressure on North Korea that has never been tried so far to help enhance the effectiveness of sanctions. These will include slapping an export embargo on the North's all mineral resources and imposing a "secondary boycott'' on Chinese companies and banks.
But it's also true that sanctions and pressure alone can't help resolve the North's nuclear quagmire. It is notable in this regard that Kerry hinted at the possible resolution of the nuclear issue through negotiations during Sunday's trilateral meeting.
Of course, meaningful negotiations are not easy, considering that Kerry urged Pyongyang to freeze its nuclear program as a first step toward starting serious talks and only a few months remain before the term of the Obama administration ends.
Nonetheless, all options must be on the table so that even the smallest clue to reversing the nuclear deadlock can be found early. For this, the simultaneous implementation of pressure and dialogue is inevitable.
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