After several months of declining a return to the negotiation table, South Korea has warmed up to resuming conditional talks with North Korea. The announcement, from the South’s Unification Ministry, comes shortly after a much publicized meeting between US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, in which Obama warned Jintao that a larger American military presence may be required in South Korea if China was unable to reign in the belligerent North Korea.
The talks will mark the end of a 2 year hardline stance taken by South Korea’s Lee Myung-Bak and the Obama administration to enforce strict economic sanctions, deprive the North of essential foreign food aid and refusals to return to Six Party Talks which North Korea originally walked out on in April 2009. Initial talks between high level military officials on either side will determine the path forward for future discussions and the possible resumption of the 6PT and the denuclearization of North Korea.
My own opinion is that this is a rotten idea. This follows North Korea’s tried and true pattern of creating an emergency through increased provocation, taking international condemnation, rattling the nuclear weapon saber and then returning to talks and aid resumption in exchange for a short duration of “good behaviour”.
Source: Reuters
