Park-Xi meeting puts pressure on NK

By Kang Seung-woo, Jun Ji-hye

With China’s role in easing tension on the Korean Peninsula expected to increase, Pyongyang is likely to stop provocations for the time being, diplomatic experts said Wednesday.

President Park Geun-hye and her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a summit in Beijing the same day and sought ways to expand China’s role in preventing possible provocations.

During the summit, the two leaders agreed that they were opposed to any moves that raise tension on the peninsula and stressed the need for faithfully keeping the United Nations Security Council resolutions against North Korea.

The summit came amid speculation that the Kim Jong-un regime may launch a long-range missile or conduct a fourth nuclear test around the foundation day of its ruling Workers’ Party on Oct. 10.

“It will not be easy for the North to test-fire a long-range missile because China is most concerned about it,” said Park Won-gon, an international studies professor at Handong Global University.

“China is worried that the North’s test-firing of a long-range missile may lead to the U.S. missile defense system [being set up] in the region. That is why China has cooperated with the United Nations’ sanctions on the North’s launching, while issuing a warning.”

Koh Yoo-hwan, a North Korean studies professor at Dongguk University, agreed with Prof. Park, saying the North’s provocation in October seems unlikely.

“If Pyongyang launched high intensity provocation, it would lead to the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system on the peninsula, and this would make the decline in Beijing-Pyongyang relations irreversible,” he said.

Referring to Park and Xi’s discussion to reopen the long-stalled six-party talks focusing on denuclearization of the North, Koh said this might suit the North.

“The discussion on how to resume the suspended talks is not bad for the North because it has called for an unconditional resumption of the multinational forum,” Koh said. “In this regard, the North may like China’s role.”

Prof. Park noted, however, that resuming the talks would not be easy unless the U.S. responds to the cooperation being exhibited by Seoul and Beijing.

“In this regard, Park needs to play a role in pushing for the U.S. to do so during her planned visit to Washington in October,” he said.

Regarding Japan, Xi signaled that he and Park would discuss historical issues involving the country’s militarism, something that Tokyo will keep a close eye on.

“We will talk about the two nation’s historical experience,” Xi said. “The two fought against invasion and occupation of Imperialism. Eventually, the two achieved liberation by fighting for their lives.”

In response, Park called the two nations friends who had overcome difficulties together in the past.

Summit makes Tokyo anxious

Inevitably, Tokyo is paying keen attention to the Park-Xi summit talks, apparently concerned that Seoul and Beijing will solidify their cooperation in dealing with Japan’s wartime wrongdoings.

Kyodo News reported Wednesday that South Korea’s approach toward China had become clearer, raising the possibility that the two leaders would discuss the historical issues at the summit or at least unofficially.

Japan’s conservative daily Sankei Shimbun likened Park to Empress Myeongseong of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Monday, who was supported by China’s Qing Dynasty, and was eventually slain by Japanese assassins in 1895. The South Korean government asked the newspaper to retract the column, but the daily reportedly rejected the request, citing freedom of expression.

Meanwhile, political parties here welcomed the Park-Xi summit, expressing expectations that it will help solidify peace and stability between the two Koreas.

Rep. Kim Yong-woo, a spokesman of the ruling Saenuri Party, said, “China is a very important country for the denuclearization of North Korea and a peaceful peninsula.”

The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy spokeswoman Rep. Yoo Eun-hae said, “We hope this summit, along with the Seoul-Washington summit in October, will be a chance to resume the six-party talks.”