[USFK Forums] NK Sending Positive Signals to Outside World [Korea Times]

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Monday, February 13, 2006

NK Sending Positive Signals to Outside World

Pyongyang Likely to Come Out to Address Financial Troubles With US

The Korea Times, Sunday, February 12, 2006
By Ryu Jin, Staff Reporter

North Korea has been sending some positive signals to the outside world, which some experts view as a possible policy shift that might lead to a breakthrough in its standoff with the United States.

With no date set this month for the six-party talks on the isolated Stalinist state's nuclear program, largely due to its financial disputes with the U.S. in recent months, North Korea has shown several forward-looking signs in its relations with neighbors.

Besides its agreement on general-level military talks with the South next month and its consent to the Hyundai Asan CEO's entry, which it had previously rejected, North Korea even resumed negotiations to normalize ties with Japan after a three-year hiatus.

Officials and experts in Seoul are now paying keen attention to the latest developments to decide if they reflect any intent of the North Korean leadership for a policy shift, as they came on the heels of its top leader Kim Jong-il's visit to China Jan. 10-18.

As on his former overseas travels, Kim made a previously unannounced visit to China, most of which was dedicated to on-the-spot studies of several flourishing cities, in addition to a summit in Beijing with President Hu Jintao, according to news media.

Most news reports said Kim tried hard in his talks with Hu to find ways to revive his country's spoiled economy. But a Japanese news agency's latest news article indicates how much fear Kim has had about the effects of U.S. financial sanctions.

When Hu suggested North Korea stop using the sanctions as an excuse to boycott the six-way nuclear talks, the Kyodo news agency reported on Saturday, Kim replied: ``If we do such a thing, our government would collapse.''

North Korea has refused to return to nuclear negotiations unless the U.S. lifts the financial sanctions it imposed after alleging the North's involvement in counterfeiting and money laundering.

But, Rep. Lim Chae-jung of South Korea's ruling Uri Party, who just returned from his North Korean visit last week, said Saturday that Pyongyang seemed to want to address the financial problem soon in an earnest manner.

Some experts presented a theory that Kim Jong-il might have decided to push for a set of reform measures after the Chinese trip, which can hardly materialize without an improvement in its relationship with the U.S.

North Korea's trade with China grew 14.8 percent from a year ago to $1.58 billion (1.52 trillion won) in 2005 owing to improved political and economic ties, according to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) last week.

Trade between South and North Korea also jumped 51.5 percent year-on-year to $1.06 billion last year largely thanks to the cross-border tourism business in the Mt. Kumgang area and the construction of the Kaesong industrial complex.

In contrast, the trade between the Stalinist country and Japan, one of the key U.S. allies in Asia, fell to $139 million, down 22.9 percent from the previous year and the lowest in nearly 30 years.

North Korea specialists in Seoul expected North Korea's economic dependence on China and South Korea would deepen more and more unless its unpleasant relations with the U.S. and Japan are not improved in the future.

Government officials in South Korea, however, remained cautious not knowing for sure whether the recent positive signs from the North came as a result of its new policy orientation or just superficial gestures.

Confronted with outside powers, including its main antagonist across the Pacific, the North has often tried to find a breakthrough by leaning toward its traditional ally, China and, more recently, its blood-related neighbor in the South.

Each time, the conservative hardliners in the U.S., Japan and South Korea warned that policymakers should not be confused by Pyongyang's strategy of driving a wedge between the allied powers.

No one knows for sure what is in the mind of Kim Jong-il, who celebrates his 64th birthday on Thursday, concerning the future of his troubled regime. But an expert says he may try to find another breakthrough in a second inter-Korean summit this year.

``Chances are high that the second inter-Korean summit could be realized within the year as both sides feel the necessity,'' Prof. Yoo Ho-yeol of Korea University said.

He added it could come around June 15, an anniversary of the first inter-Korean summit in 2000 between former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Kim Dae-jung plans to make a visit to Pyongyang in the spring.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr

02-12-2006 18:24

(END)

[Mr. Joe]

Kim Jong Il can't help being influenced by Mr. Hu. He has to want better conditions in North Korea. Neither does he have anything to lose by resuming talks with the US.

North Korea, like the leapord, cannot change it's spots. But it can purr, and lick your hand, and pretend to be your friend, as long as it receive something for nothing! Fertilizer, rice, it makes no difference. As long as South Korea, the US, or ANY nation will respond to stories of suffering people with gifts, they will quickly accept.

Making gestures toward "Normalization" of relations costs nothing, and can only benfit NK.

Watch the Japanese. They are the smart ones! They won't give anything until their kidnapped citizens are returned! And I believe the kidnapped Japanese will be accounted for soon.