KoreanTruth Editorial

NORTH KOREAN OPTIONS AND SOLUTIONS, January, 2003

The facts have not changed recently in North Korea, nor has the threats it poses to South Korea changed, despite the spin attempts to portray Kim Jong Il and Kim Dae Jung as partners in the "failed" sunshine policy initiated.

We can sugar coat things, look at baby steps of a family reunion center plan, railroad link plans, or frequent visits between DPRK and ROK delegates, but the reality, in all it's horror and misery, remains. North Korean nuclear plans and ambitions are worse than ever, the suffering of the North Korean people is beyond comprehension by the West, and North Korea is exporting weapons for cash, but now they are likely collaborating with other rogue nations to a higher degree. Why wouldn’t Iraqi, North Korean, Libyan, Syrian, and other enemies of the United States exchange cash, weapons, and technology with each other? DEBKA.com reports secret labs already set up in various countries, developing weapons of mass destruction.

Reunification plans at this point now is a waste of time. Does Kim Jong Il want to turn his country into a democracy? Does he want to "re-educate" his people that he isn't some sort of God? Does he want the world to find out about the millions who have died under his failed leadership, or the hundreds of thousands being starved and tortured to death in his concentration camps? This is the reality we all must deal with now, and no media, and no South Korean leaders can alter these things. Nice talking is like stroking the head of a rabid dog while he is sedated, he isn't going to wake up any nicer because you pet him gently.

Therefore, where does it leave South Korea, and the rest of the peace loving countries who want to see no blood shed on the Korean Peninsula? Diplomacy with North Korea will not lead to any lasting or meaningful assurances for ROK. How could the world expect lying dictators to keep their word?

Reason does not work with a egotistical, ruthless, mentally ill self appointed leader like Kim Jong Il. We are silly to even think it would. Strength and power are the only things that get North Korea's attention, as dictators will take the easiest path to stay in power.

South Korean officials need to get back to a unified front with the United States, as the troops aren't leaving any time soon, as they have preserved a status quo for half a century and no one really wants to upset this fragile balance (well, one country does, that we know). Those who are against the evil ways of North Korea need to once again make their voices heard so that Americans realize that the Roh inspired demonstrations against the U.S. do not represent the majority viewpoint in the ROK.

The South Korean media needs to show it's own strength and report fully on things like the activists being jailed for exposing Kim Dae Jung and Roh Moo Hyun's corruption and murky alliances with Kim Jong Il (ex- billions of Korean Won funneled to North Korea through Hyundai to get the summit between NK and SK leaders in 2000, new North Korean tunnels found, potential large number of NK spies already in South Korea, details on the Kim Dae-oep relationship to the Kim Dae Jung, and Roh Moo Hyun camps, and how his libel and false tapes took votes away from Lee Hoi Chang. We have heard disturbing reports that the once vocal South Korean press has been ordered to barely touch on any anti North Korean news. Look at the various ROK press and this seems to be true.

The other horror in this all is the suffering of the regular people of North Korea. China holds a key card in the game, as it must break the agreement with North Korea that sends escaping refugees back into the hell which is North Korea. The United Nations should take a lead in this, as well as other countries who could agree to set up refugee camps in the Chinese boarder area. China could be influenced to go along with demonstrating a humanitarian gesture of this magnitude as part of it's WTO entry it so much desires, as well as the Olympic games bid. Without interfering with it's internal affairs, China can show it does respect human rights.

This brings the discussion back once again of what to do with North Korea. The paralysis everyone feels is due to the non-confrontational attitudes of the past ten years from ROK and the U.S., not the new attitude of the Bush administration. A message needs to be sent to the Husseins, Jong Ils, and other morally bankrupt dictators that there is a price to pay for their violation of WMD treaties, agreements, exporting of wepaons to terror groups, and terrorism ambitions. For those who are opposed to war on principal, I say that war is bad and terrible thing that unfortunately is needed when innocent people are suffering and dying and when the cost of inaction is so much stronger a price than immediate action. (ex- removing Hussein from power in 1991 would have saved millions of innocent Iraqi lives and would not have cost nearly as many as have died during the last decade).

A direct meeting between the U.S. and North Korea will not result in any breakthroughs, but must be tried first. Upon it's failure, is it necessary to take the first step and launch a massive military strike on North Korean nuclear sites? This is an open question with few good choices.

If the U.S. waits until it is engaged in Iraq, there is a strong likelihood Jong Il will perhaps strike first on Seoul. Should there by a massive evacuation of Seoul first, perhaps in stages, to the lower parts of the peninsula, followed by the air strikes and total goal of eliminating Kim Jong Il?

The North Korean soldiers coming out of all those secret tunnels would find very few people waiting for them if evacuations are carried out ahead of time. Despite the protests, the U.N. would be forced to help rebuild the Korean peninsula, and provide comprehensive aid to the starving people of the North.

Is this a nice scenario? No. Yet, without a likelihood of Kim Jong Il being removed from power internally, what other scenarios will result in peace AND democracy? What is the price we pay for passing on evil and terror for future generations?