US, NK May Move Toward Diplomatic Normalization
By Sunny Lee
Korea Times Correspondent
BEIJING ― A North Korea expert at the University of Georgia Tuesday predicted that the Obama administration and the Kim Jong-il government are expected to make a dramatic strive toward diplomatic normalization.
Han S. Park, returning from his visit to Pyongyang, predicted that North Korea is expected to relinquish its nuclear programs and weapons themselves, if the arrangements are right.
As a condition for denuclearization, he said Pyongyang wants security assurance.
He told The Korea Times, ``Pyongyang wants the United States to give up its hostile attitude and policies toward North Korea. For North Koreans, security
assurance is the very key. No country, including North Korea, is expected to relinquish its security interest in exchange for economic and political interest. We cannot buy off North Korean nuclear arms. No matter how large the amount, North Korea is not going to relinquish its nuclear arms for money. It's not an economic matter. We have to address North Korea's security concerns if, in fact, we're going to press North Korea effectively to compromise its security means,'' he added.
What are the assurances North Korea wants from the U.S. and South Korea? Park said, ``Firstly, stop the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises. For North Korea, it's a direct expression of hostility. Secondly, the conversion of the armistice agreement into a peace pact. Thirdly, they want the mission of the U.S. military in South Korea to be redefined so that North Korea will not be the primary enemy target. Fourthly, they want American sanctions to be lifted. North Koreans are not interested in symbolic implications. They are interested in the prospect of the U.S. lifting trade and political sanctions imposed on North Korea. Sanctions include not only the bilateral one with the United States, but also the one imposed by the United Nations. Finally, diplomatic normalization with the U.S. I think that will be sufficient. Then, North Korea will give up everything.
Park, director of the Center for the Study of Global Issues at the university, is well-connected with Frank Jannuzi, a key foreign policy adviser for the U.S. president-elect Barak Obama. In fact, Park met with Jannuzi before his trip to North Korea where he stayed from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.
He advised the Lee Myung-bak administration to the Obama doctrine, saying that President Lee will be in a very embarrassing position if he has to object to Obama's policy toward North Korea. Obama's policy toward North Korea will not be determined by the South Korean government's wishes. ``I see an emergence of discordance between South Korea and the United States when the U.S. and North Korea are improving their relationship,'' he added.