Dear editor,
An editorial headlined ``Hope for Peace" published in the Thursday (Oct. 4) edition of The Korea Times illustrated numerous confidence building steps that both North and South Korea are taking to lay the groundwork for peace: Economic aid, joint industrial complexes and market reform.
However, peace and eventual reunification between the two countries cannot be achieved without nuclear disarmament.
It's no secret that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il wants a formal end to the Korean War. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is also pushing hard for a peace agreement.
So what seems to be the problem? The biggest obstacle to peace is whether or not the North Koreans will make good on their promise of nuclear disarmament.
It is encouraging that North Korea has shut down the reactor at Yongbyon. They have also pledged to shut down all their nuclear facilities and disclose the full extent of their nuclear program by years end.
But these gestures amount to very little in terms of full nuclear disarmament. There is still much work ahead.
Let's hope the Hermit Kingdom shows their commitment to peace by dismantling their nuclear weapons program. If they do, the world should welcome them in from the cold.
James H. Kim
Washington, D.C., USA