ED Kim Jong-un's threat

Government should respond proportionately

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has recently threatened to take over Seoul and his military fired three missiles into the East Sea; but our government remained reluctant to respond strongly. This attitude is part of the government’s effort to lure the North to the dialogue table, though its effectiveness is highly questionable. It is important to respond proportionally to the enemy’s provocations or it risks encouraging it to step them up.

The North’s Korean Central Television showed Kim Jong-un with a broad smile Saturday watching landing exercises to take over the South’s islands in the West Sea. It quoted Kim as saying, “On order, the troops should mop up opposing forces, take over Seoul at once and conquer the entire South.” The report dubbed President Moon Jae-in a “follower” of U.S. President Donald Trump and ridiculed Moon for acting as an agent of peace when in fact he led from a war chariot with Trump.

The South Korean government opted not to respond.

Then, regarding the three North Korean missiles, Cheong Wa Dae hosted an emergency national security meeting hosted by Moon’s security official Chung Eui-yong but hurriedly claimed they were not intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), therefore they posed no threat.

Kim’s threat came as the South and the U.S. have been conducting their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) joint exercise, which the North condemns as war preparations for invading it. The missiles are seen as a show of force to impress Seoul that Pyongyang can attack the South anytime it wants, after a confrontation with the U.S. over its two ICBM tests in July.

Now, it is understandable that the Moon government moderates its reactions. Ahead of UFG, Cheong Wa Dae expressed hope for dialogue with the North, if it didn’t stage provocations. This comes amid President Moon’s vow to prevent war on the Korean Peninsula and avoid escalating tension. Moon has repeatedly offered help to the North but is ignored by Pyongyang that insists on dealing directly with the U.S.

The government is laudable for its sense of restraint but it should consider the people’s view that Moon’s North Korea policy is not his strongest. His detractors criticize it for being conciliatory and lacking backbone. This also helps strengthen the public’s sense of hopelessness, being reduced to a bystander in the ongoing crisis that will determine their fate.

The situation has become so much so that it is long a matter of our collective pride. President Moon should address this concern and bring proportionality to our response to the North’s provocations. That would be the first step to make the North and our ally, the U.S., take us as seriously as we deserve.