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South Korea’s Park vows all-out effort to punish North for provocations South Korea’s president vows all-out push to punish North for provocations
(about 3 hours later)
SEOUL – North Korea’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons program “will only hasten its collapse,” South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday, forgoing her usual caution to warn in uncharacteristically blunt terms that her government would do all it could to punish Pyongyang for its recent provocations. SEOUL — North Korea’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons program “will only hasten its collapse,” South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday, forgoing her usual caution to warn in uncharacteristically blunt terms that her government would do all it could to punish Pyongyang for its recent provocations.
Talk of the North Korea's collapse is normally a political no-go area here, because the prospect both alarms South Koreans and enrages the irascible regime in the North. But following Pyongyang’s recent nuclear and missile tests, the usually soft-spoken Park is taking a markedly more confrontational approach towards Kim Jong Un’s regime. Talk of the North’s collapse is normally a no-go political topic here, because the prospect not only alarms South Koreans but also enrages the irascible Pyongyang. But following the North’s recent nuclear and missile tests, the usually soft-spoken Park is taking a markedly more confrontational approach toward Kim Jong Un’s regime.
"Dear people of South Korea, it's obvious now that our previous methods and goodwill cannot break Pyongyang's nuclear will," Park said in a special address to the National Assembly. “We should no longer be fooled by their deception and threats. I believe we should not provide them with unconditional support anymore nor succumb to their provocations. We now need to find a fundamental solution to effectively change North Korea, and it is our time to be brave,” she said firmly in the televised address. “Dear people of South Korea, it’s obvious now that our previous methods and goodwill cannot break Pyongyang’s nuclear will,” Park said in a special address to the National Assembly. “We should no longer be fooled by their deception and threats. I believe we should not provide them with unconditional support anymore nor succumb to their provocations. We now need to find a fundamental solution to effectively change North Korea, and it is our time to be brave,” she said firmly in the televised address.
Her tough words come at a time when, somewhat unusually, South Korea, Japan and the United States are all on the same page when it comes to dealing with North Korea. It also coincides with a sharp build-up in American military muscle on the peninsula. Four F-22 stealth fighter jets are set to arrive in South Korea Wednesday, while the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier is due here later in the month ahead of joint military exercises. Her tough words come at a time when, somewhat unusually, South Korea, Japan and the United States are all on the same page when it comes to dealing with North Korea. It also coincides with a sharp buildup in U.S. military muscle on the Korean Peninsula. Four F-22 stealth fighter jets are set to arrive in South Korea from the United States on Wednesday, while the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier is due here later in the month ahead of joint military exercises.
As president, Park has pursued a “trustpolitik” approach to dealing with North Korea — trying to build trust without weakening deterrence. But last week, Park signaled she was done with trying to build trust when she ordered the shutdown of the inter-Korean industrial zone at Kaesong on the northern side of the demilitarized zone that separates the two countries. Park has pursued a “trustpolitik” approach to dealing with North Korea — trying to build trust without weakening deterrence. But last week, she signaled she was done with trying to build trust when she ordered the shutdown of the inter-Korean industrial zone at Kaesong on the northern side of the demilitarized zone, which separates the two countries.
The Kaesong zone, where about 54,000 North Koreans worked in 124 South Korean-owned factories, had long been kept separate from politics and was not shut down even in the wake of a 2010 North Korean attack on a South Korean naval corvette that killed 46 South Korean sailors. The Kaesong zone, where about 54,000 North Koreans worked in 124 South Korean-owned factories, had long been kept separate from politics; it was not shut down even in the wake of a 2010 North Korean attack on a South Korean naval corvette that killed 46 South Korean sailors.
But Park estimated that the South Korean government and private enterprises had contributed about $3 billion to North Korea’s government over the past 20 years, including through the Kaesong project, and pulled the plug. But Park estimated that the South’s government and private enterprises had contributed about $3 billion to the North’s government over the past 20 years, including through the Kaesong project, so she pulled the plug.
The shutdown was just the start, Park said Tuesday. “From now on, the government will start taking stronger and more effective measures to push North Korea to make changes by creating an environment in which the North will realize that nuclear development is not a way to ensure their survival but a way to ensure the quick collapse of the regime,” she said.The shutdown was just the start, Park said Tuesday. “From now on, the government will start taking stronger and more effective measures to push North Korea to make changes by creating an environment in which the North will realize that nuclear development is not a way to ensure their survival but a way to ensure the quick collapse of the regime,” she said.
Park’s tough words, including the mention of the North's collapse, took many analysts by surprise. Park’s tough words, including the mention of the North’s collapse, took many analysts by surprise.
"She has announced a real change in her policy towards North Korea," said Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a Seoul think-tank. "She didn't say 'regime change' but it seems that she has something like that in mind. This is a turning point in South Korean policy towards North Korea. “She has announced a real change in her policy toward North Korea,” said Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a Seoul think tank. “She didn’t say ‘regime change,’ but it seems that she has something like that in mind. This is a turning point in South Korean policy toward North Korea.”
There are few economic avenues left for South Korea to punish North Korea. The Kumgangsan tourism zone, where South Koreans visited a North Korean mountain range in another project that generated foreign currency for the Kim regime, was shut down years ago after a South Korean woman was shot by a North Korean guard. Direct sanctions put in place after the 2010 naval attack poured cold water on other economic cooperation and trade. There are few economic avenues left for the South to punish the North. The Kumgang tourist area, where South Koreans could visit a North Korean mountain range in a project that generated foreign currency for the Kim regime, was shut down years ago after a South Korean woman was shot by a North Korean guard. Direct sanctions put in place after the 2010 naval attack also poured cold water on economic cooperation and trade.
But there is plenty that South Korea could do on the military side, Choi said, including beefing up the South’s military capacity, continuing to blare anti-Kim messages across the DMZ, and perhaps even cutting off humanitarian aid. But there is plenty that South Korea could do militarily, Choi said, including beefing up the South’s armed forces capacity, continuing to blare anti-Kim messages across the DMZ and perhaps even cutting off humanitarian aid.
South Korea's recent actions — especially the loudspeaker messages denigrating Kim — have enraged North Korea. Using some especially choice language in a statement last week following the Kaesong shut-down, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency labelled Park a "confrontational wicked woman" operating "at the groin of her American boss." The South’s recent actions — especially the loudspeaker messages denigrating Kim — have enraged the North. Using some especially choice language in a statement last week after the Kaesong shutdown, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency labeled Park a “confrontational wicked woman” operating “at the groin of her American boss.”
Pyongyang has also been sending anti-South leaflets over the DMZ in balloons. Some that landed north of Seoul Tuesday, according to local media, featured an unflattering caricature of Park and warning of "divine vengeance" for what it said were her failures, including the Sewol ferry crisis, the high suicide rate and the Mers outbreak. The leaflet featured death portraits of Park's parents -- her mother, who was shot by a North Korean agent, and her father, former president Park Chung-hee -- ominously suggesting that her turn was next. Pyongyang also has been sending anti-South leaflets over the DMZ with balloons. Some that landed north of Seoul on Tuesday, according to local media, featured an unflattering caricature of Park and warned of “divine vengeance” for what it said were her failures, including the 2014 Sewol ferry crisis, in which a capsized boat sank and killed hundreds; the high suicide rate; and the MERS outbreak. The leaflet featured death portraits of Park’s parents — her mother, who was shot by a North Korean agent, and her father, former president Park Chung-hee — ominously suggesting that her turn was next.
Separately, Japan has introduced new unilateral economic sanctions on North Korea in response to the tests, banning North Korean citizens from coming into Japan and North Korean ships from calling at Japanese ports. Transfers of money, except for humanitarian gifts of less than $800, will also be prohibited. Separately, Japan has introduced new unilateral economic sanctions on North Korea in response to the tests, banning North Korean citizens from coming into Japan and North Korean ships from calling at Japanese ports. Transfers of money, except for humanitarian gifts of less than $800, also will be prohibited.
In Washington, the House and Senate have passed a bill enacting new sanctions against North Korea, and it is now awaiting President Obama’s signature.In Washington, the House and Senate have passed a bill enacting new sanctions against North Korea, and it is now awaiting President Obama’s signature.
But China, North Korea’s closest ally, has been reluctant to take any punitive action that would risk destabilizing its neighbor, and this stance probably will water down any measures that the United Nations comes up with. But China, the North’s closest ally, has been reluctant to take any punitive action that would risk destabilizing its neighbor, and this stance probably will water down any measures that the United Nations conceives.
Yoonjung Seo contributed to this report.Yoonjung Seo contributed to this report.