By Choi Yearn-hong
I congratulate you in wasting no time in putting together your economic team to rescue the devastated U.S. economy and create 2.5 million jobs in two years time.
Your move is bold, powerful, and admirable. As you said, the unprecedented U.S. economic fiasco cannot afford the luxury of waiting until January 20.
North Korea is not at the top of your list of concerns. Your priorities will lie with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Iran's possible cache of nuclear weapons will be next. North Korea's denuclearization will be far from the top of the agenda.
However, I hope you will make it crystal clear that you are not going to continue the so-called Clinton appeasement policy toward North Korea. Some people in Korea want you to resume the Clintonian appeasement policy.
What is the Clinton appeasement policy? More carrots than sticks to North Korea; the Agreed Geneva Framework between the U.S. and North Korea, resulting in the construction of two light-water reactors with free oil supply until their completion; and cooperation with South Korea's ``Sunshine Policy."
Your future vice-president, Joe Biden, was an ardent supporter of the Clintonian appeasement policy during the current Bush administration.
Some Sunshine Policy advocates in South Korea, including former President Kim Dae-jung, who created the policy, are hoping you will meet and dance with North Korea's Kim Jong-il.
Even though you once promised during your campaign to meet the heads of rogue states, I do not think you should meet him and confer unconditionally. You are first of all a realist and pragmatist.
The Geneva Framework, signed on October 21, 1994 between the U.S. and North Korea, was one-sidedly violated by North Korea. Clandestine nuclear bomb production was revealed in satellite photos.
North Korea tested its nuclear bombs and boasted of its nuclear power status, demanding more money and concessions from the United States, South Korea and Japan. President Bush denied the demands and proposed the six-party talks.
North Korea is off the list of terrorist-supporting nations after promising to provide full disclosure of its nuclear arms production.
However, the verification process is still at large. Bush did his best to accommodate North Korea's demand, because he did not want to engage in another war-like situation on the Korean Peninsula.
You should see the end results of the Sunshine Policy under former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun between 1998 and 2007. The expensive Mt. Geumgang tourism project was halted after a North Korean soldier's killing of an innocent Korean tourist at a beach last summer.
The 4 trillion won investment at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex is going to end soon, if it hasn't yet. The railroad link crossing the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was suspended.
Family reunions ended some time ago. The South's astronomical investment in the North has provided few results in the past 10 years.
Your new cabinet with Hillary Clinton as secretary of state and national security team consisting of Clinton's men and women may repeat the same Clintonian appeasement policy. But you should be aware of your dramatic proposal of policy ``change" to the American public from existing policies, including North Korea policy.
You are smart enough to distinguish between the issues agreed on between the U.S. and North Korea in 1994 and the new political terrain when you take the presidential oath in January. The promises made during the Clinton administration more than 14 years ago have all reached a cul-de-sac. There's nothing to salvage from the old promises.
North Korea's behavior over the past 10 years or more should be condemned by the United Nations. The Sunshine Policy and the appeasement policy were tested and judged useless or wasteful to South Korea and the United States.
You have emphasized cost-benefit analysis in all government programs. Cost-benefit analysis is always a sound instrument of democratic government. Your new policy toward North Korea should compare the costs and benefits.
The benefit should overweigh the cost by a three to one ratio. If not, the program should be abandoned. The U.S. government has limited resources, as you are well aware.
Doing business with a dictatorial regime is only recommendable for regime change. No other way is possible. This is a non-ideological, pragmatic approach. Editorial writers of the Washington Post were once sympathetic to the Sunshine Policy and appeasement policy.
They have changed their minds and aimed at regime change in North Korea as the only hope. They became realistic and smart with the passage of time. Like the editorial writers, I hope you set up your North Korea policy for the ultimate goal of regime change. If not, nothing is meaningful or possible.
North Korea is a country with no human rights, starving people, a huge army, nuclear arms, long distance missiles and blackmail diplomacy. There is not one saving grace to that country's regime.
I have been your supporter from Day 1 when you declared your presidential candidacy. Best wishes on your presidency.
Dr. Choi is a political scientist retired from a long teaching career in the United States and Korea. The views expressed in the above article are those of the author's. It does not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of The Korea Times.