Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=2/25/03

TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP

TITLE=RESURGENT NORTH KOREA

NUMBER=6-12838

BYLINE=Andrew Guthrie

DATELINE=Washington

EDITOR=Assignments

TELEPHONE=619-3335

CONTENT=

INTRO: With a possible war against Iraq much in the news, U-S newspapers are, nevertheless, managing to keep one eye on the Korean peninsula, another world trouble spot. On Tuesday, South Korea's new president Roh Moo-hyun was sworn in, and, possibly to mark the occasion, instead of flowers, North Korea fired an anti-ship missile harmlessly into the Sea of Japan.

Many American papers are taking very seriously Pyongyang's increasingly bellicose behavior, especially its resurrection of a nuclear weapons program. We get a sampling now from ___________ in today's U-S Opinion Roundup.

TEXT: In his inauguration address, with U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell in attendance, President Roh said that "the suspicion that North Korea is developing nuclear weapons poses a grave threat to world peace." He added that if North Korea abandons its nuclear weapons efforts, it could win additional international aid. Many U-S dailies continue to watch the Korean peninsula, and one of them is South Carolina's Charleston Post and Courier. That paper is heartened by the response to the bluster from one neighbor.

VOICE: North Korea's developing nuclear threat, and its warlike words, have prompted an unexpectedly tough response from Japan, a nation that appears to be moving away from its post-World War Two pacifism at a propitious time. Japan's defense minister told parliament this month that his country would be within its rights to attack North Korea if it were clear that North Korea was preparing to launch a missile at Japan.

He repeated his remarks, [suggesting] "Our nation will use military force as a self-defense measure if [North Korea] starts to resort to arms against Japan." /// OPT /// The Washington Post reports that [Japan] has stepped up training of special and airborne forces, has put maritime forces on heightened alert, transferred ground forces closer to Korea, and taken other precautionary steps. The Japanese message, although indirect, is clear. If China values Japanese military self-restraint, it must bring its full weight to bear on solving the Korean crisis. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: Another concerned daily is Nashville's Tennessean, which has some advice for Washington.

VOICE: The Bush administration must not remain so stubborn in its position toward North Korea that it turns a dangerous situation into a deadly one. North Korea says the nuclear standoff will end only through direct negotiations with the United States. The White House has insisted throughout these months of threats that it will negotiate only as a part of a coalition and has asked China, which has close ties to North Korea, to help pressure North Korea to accept regional negotiations.

Yesterday, it became painfully clear that the administration wasn't going to have it way. Secretary of State Colin Powell has been told by China, Japan and Australia that the United States should hold direct talks with North Korea. Would a coalition approach be preferable? Sure. But direct talks should begin immediately. Continuing to hold out for multi-national talks makes no sense and costs valuable time.

TEXT: Indiana's Indianapolis Star feels that "China's leverage against North Korea and acquiescence in [the] war on Iraq would boost U-S efforts."

VOICE: The U-S wants the Asian countries to persuade North Korea to abandon its re-energized nuclear program and get back to the negotiating table. Second, America needs support for the latest U-N resolution, which explicitly authorizes force if the Iraqi regime continues to defy world demands that it give up, and fully account for, its weapons of mass destruction. The United States needs to achieve both policy goals.

/// OPT ///

China could be helpful by convincing the increasingly isolationist North Korea that the decision to resume its nuclear programs for possible military uses would bring unnecessary tension to the region. South Korea has an equally important role in deflating the Korean crisis. President Roh must balance the mandate he won in his upset election victory for improving relations with the North, while maintaining historic ties with the United States.

/// END OPT ///

TEXT: Turning to Rhode Island's capital, The Providence Journal would like to see the United Nations take a more active role.

VOICE: How serious is the North Korean nuclear crisis? Well, it has finally reached the precincts of the U-N Security Council where, of course, there will be much discussion but no action. Which, at the moment, might not be such a bad thing. North Korea's belligerence is designed to capture the attention of the West, mostly to engage Washington in negotiation.

The Bush administration, however has declined to respond to Pyongyang's taunts. Which leaves the issue, for the moment, in the Security Council. There can be no better demonstration of how seriously the world takes this threat than to keep it on the U-N agenda, along with Iraq.

TEXT: Lastly, an analogy from Boston's Christian Science Monitor about another increasingly difficult U-S ally.

VOICE: For the Bush White House, Roh Moo-hyun could soon become the Jacques Chirac of Asia. The new president of South Korea is a populist and former human rights lawyer who has disagreed with the tough Bush line against North Korea. Mr. Roh's views could create the same kind of friction over North Korea that the U-S now has with France over Iraq. South Korea and the U-S can't afford a split. That would only work to North Korea's advantage. As with France, [Secretary of State Colin] Powell will need to exercise deft diplomacy to keep South Korea as a close ally.

TEXT: On that advice from Boston's Christian Science Monitor, we conclude this sampling of editorial comment on dealing with a resurgent North Korea.

NEB/ANG/RH