Mike Pence, the US Vice-President, came to Japan yesterday on his way to South Korea, where he is leading the US delegation to the Winter Olympics to be held from tomorrow. This is the first Winter Olympics to be held in the Korean Peninsula. A Summer Olympics, by the way, was also held in South Korea as far back as in 1988.
This time, the North(DPRK) is also sending a delegation. It is to be seen how often and on what occasions the two Koreas will use the flag showing them together as one united Korea, and what impact it is going to have on the peoples of the two. It has just been announced that Chairman Kim's younger sister is also visiting the South at this time. Strictly speaking it is apart from the Olympics. But she is expected to attend the Opening Ceremony.
Now Mr. Pence, at a joint press conference with PM Abe, after the two met for more than two hours yesterday, said several things concerning the Asian situation. In particular he stressed that the DPRK is not trustworthy, making one promise after another but breaking them later. Therefore for the US the 'strategic patience' is now over. What he said here is closely backed by the new US nuclear policy announced at Washington on 2 February.
But where is that path likely to lead us? Who can deny that the North, under the US military pressure, may shoot first? The US may be probably safe. But both the Koreas may be instantly ruined, and the time in the Peninsula will go back to 1950 when the Korean War broke out.
Mr. Pence should have come as a messenger of peace, a negotiator, even an honest broker.
This time, the North(DPRK) is also sending a delegation. It is to be seen how often and on what occasions the two Koreas will use the flag showing them together as one united Korea, and what impact it is going to have on the peoples of the two. It has just been announced that Chairman Kim's younger sister is also visiting the South at this time. Strictly speaking it is apart from the Olympics. But she is expected to attend the Opening Ceremony.
Now Mr. Pence, at a joint press conference with PM Abe, after the two met for more than two hours yesterday, said several things concerning the Asian situation. In particular he stressed that the DPRK is not trustworthy, making one promise after another but breaking them later. Therefore for the US the 'strategic patience' is now over. What he said here is closely backed by the new US nuclear policy announced at Washington on 2 February.
But where is that path likely to lead us? Who can deny that the North, under the US military pressure, may shoot first? The US may be probably safe. But both the Koreas may be instantly ruined, and the time in the Peninsula will go back to 1950 when the Korean War broke out.
Mr. Pence should have come as a messenger of peace, a negotiator, even an honest broker.
No comments:
Post a Comment