The Current Crisis in south Korea and the Korean Peninsula Issue

 (November 28, 2016, Choe Un Ju, Research Fellow,

Institute for Disarmament and Peace, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPRK)

The recent hideous political scandal in south Korea reveals that south Korea's each and every policy has been totally controlled by a superstitious fortune-teller.

After all, "unification and security policies" of the current south Korean authorities were nothing but preposterous ones based on a fortune-teller's groundless presumption that the DPRK would "collapse" in two years.

South Korea's such reckless and irresponsible "unification and security policies" have severely affected the issues related with peace, nuclear, inter-Korean relations and reunification of the Korean peninsula.

Peace Issue

Ensuring peace on the Korean peninsula is a vital issue that relates to the destiny of both the peninsula and the region.

There were many opportunities in recent years for the north and the south to bring a breakthrough in ensuring peace. August 2015 north-south Agreement which pacified the danger of
war in the peninsula offered a good opportunity to promote the inter-Korean cooperation for peace. If the atmosphere were made best use of, the north and the south together could surely have had the situation under control and ease tension. However, on 27 August, right after the Agreement, the south Korean military span out reckless remarks on "decapitation raid" against the DPRK supreme leadership. They even dared to carry out joint military exercises applying the "decapitation raid" and "precision strike" drills this year. This triggered a strong response from the DPRK and again resulted in an escalation of tension that could have led to a war.

There was another chance this year for the north and the south to concert efforts for peace. In May this year, following the re-unification line set forth at the 7th Congress of the WPK, the DPRK military proposed to the south to hold talks to seek solutions to ease tension on the peninsula. However, the south Korean authorities refused to accept the proposal questioning "sincerity" of the DRPK and insisted on "no dialogue but pressure and sanction."

The recent scandal of south Korea proves that such craziness for confrontation is closely related with the current south Korean ruler's way of dealing with security issues. Void of sincerity and sense of responsibility for the nation's destiny and the regional peace, she handled the security issues following the prophecies of an immature superstitious fortune-teller.

At the beginning the south Korean authorities dismissed the rumor about discussions with the US on deployment of THAAD. Later they decided to deploy THAAD with little consideration that it would place the peninsula deep into a nuclear war among the regional powers. This is another act that followed the "divine message" with a belief that the US protection means everything. By the help of the immature fortune-teller, the US earned astronomical amount of dollars by selling its artillery to south Korea. Meanwhile Park Geun Hye also did not forget to get a backstage promise from the US that it would sponsor "Saenuri party" in the 2017 "presidential election" in return for south Korea's agreement to THAAD deployment. This fueled anger of the people against the regime in south Korea. Now, with the outbreak of the scandal that revealed Park Geun Hye's mental deficiency and immorality, the US, worried that south Korea's promise of THAAD deployment would be reduced to scrapes of paper, is anxious to speed up the deployment.

At the beginning of her office, Park seemed stout and firm against any compromise with Japan on the sex slavery issue. But not long after, she changed her mind and concluded a sudden agreement with Japan. This is a sad result of her arbitrariness, obstinacy and caprice that run counter to popular sentiments. Some days ago, Park rushed the conclusion of south Korea-Japan agreement on protection of military information paying no attention to peace of the peninsula and the region. This is another criminal act that leaves the security of south Korea in the hands of the US and Japan.

History records quite a number of wars that started from an accidental incident or a silly act. Had the DPRK not strengthened its war deterrent in every way, there is no guarantee that a disastrous war would not break out on the Korean peninsula by a fortune-teller's dictation. Today's security context resulting from south Korea's irresponsible and preposterous management of state affairs only proves what an important role the DPRK's war deterrent plays in preventing war and ensuring peace on the peninsula.

Nuclear Issue

The nuclear issue which was originated by the US, would not have been deteriorated to the current level and the Korean peninsula would not have fallen under the threat of nuclear war if the south Korean authorities had maintained an independent stand.

It is quite ironical that during Park's term of office the US has brought in more of its strategic nuclear assets in and around the peninsula and carried out more ferociously nuclear war exercises whereas Park became even more offensive in pursuing her ambition of "system unification" backed by the US nuclear umbrella.

In January 2015, the DPRK advanced a proposal of suspension of joint military exercises for a moratorium of nuclear test. However, at that time, the south Korean authorities were more perverse than the US in refusing the DPRK's reasonable proposal. They became more frantic in nuclear war maneuvers going as far as to recklessly speaking loud about "preemptive strike on the north", "advancement into Pyongyang" and "decapitation raid against the DPRK supreme headquarters."

When the DPRK carried out its first H-bomb test to cope with the evermore intensifying nuclear threat of the US, Park raved herself hoarse on sanctions against the DPRK and never even hesitated to shut down the Kaesong industrial zone. As the facts of the current political scandal continue to come to light, there are evidences that show the shutdown of the Kaesong industrial zone was also ordered by the fortune-teller.

It is now obvious to everyone that Park had obediently followed the fortune-teller's orders and behaved rashly to stifle the DPRK with the help of foreign forces. It is clear why she stubbornly refused to admit the root and essence of the nuclear issue despite the DPRK's repeated clear-cut explanations. It is perfectly possible that, with such superstitious mentality, Park cannot see how the DPRK tightened its belt, on what kind of determination it has strengthened its nuclear deterrent and what a strategic position the DPRK holds now.

I stress once again that if it were not for the patience, magnanimity and strong nuclear deterrent of the DPRK, the Korean peninsula would have long ago been engulfed in the nuclear war swirl and the Korean nation would have fallen into a nuclear disaster.

Reunification Issue

The DPRK invariably maintains the reunification line of national independence, great national unity, guarantee of peace and realizing reunification through federation. Since the announcement of the north-south agreement on the three principles for national reunification and the adoption of the 6.15 Joint Declaration and the 10.4 Declaration, the DPRK's reunification principles and proposals have never changed. The principles and proposals have been consistent regardless of change in situation and in the surrounding structure.

On the contrary, there came different "unification policies" in south Korea with every change of regime.

The caprice was even more frequent during Park Geun Hye's term. At the initial period of office, she fussed about "unification diplomacy" through the so-called "peace and cooperation initiative" and "trustpolitik" But not long after, she overturned all of these into "pressure diplomacy" insisting that "it is not the time for north-south dialogue, but pressure is the only way to settle the issues." These policies are neither based on confidence of success nor any sense of responsibility for the national desire for reunification. These are nothing but mean and foolish policies dictated by the caprice of a fortune-teller.

Recently the south Korean media made public that the "Dresden declaration" that Park had loudly announced in Germany and the mysterious phrase of "unification bonanza" that Park used for the first time were also invented by the superstitious fortune-teller.

In the late 19th century, Queen Myongsong had relied on a superstitious woman Jinryonggun, a spy for Japan, with regards to state affairs but met a tragic end. Today's Park is just following the

Queen's footsteps. Still the Queen is sympathized by the posterity for she was murdered by Japanese invaders. But Park is denounced and cursed by her own compatriots

The candlelight fiercely burning in south Korea are not only manifestation of condemnation and resentment on Park's corruption but also strict punishment on her "unification and security policies" which have put the Korean peninsula deep into the swirls of nuclear war and thus causing a holocaust of the nation.

Dealing with outcast Park would only mean joining in the dance to the song of superstition that only brings shame and dishonor.

If one cares for peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region, he or she should see squarely see the DPRK's strategic position and today's reality. Policies should be designed accordingly.