[칼럼] Reflections during COVID-19 crisis

김동현 일민국제관계연구원 방문학자

On April 3, North Korea's "state emergency anti-epidemic headquarters" claimed that there were no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and only around 500 people remained in quarantine across the country. Not too long ago, Pyongyang had reported thousands were being "medically monitored" against the viral pandemic in several provinces.

North Korean propaganda credits the regime's effective anti-virus measures for lifting the quarantine on those who showed no symptoms of infection. The North closed its borders early on, putting arrivals in the country and those who may have contacted them into a strict 40-day quarantine, and sanitizing all imported goods.

However, Pyongyang's claim has raised skepticism among many experts who know that North Korea's health care service is poor. Interestingly, Gen. Robert Abrams, the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, also questioned it last week. "That is an impossible claim based on all of the intel we have seen....That is untrue." Abrams said.

Washington has offered to help North Korea fight against the coronavirus, but Pyongyang has not been responsive. For example, President Trump recently sent a letter to Chairman Kim Jong-un, and "expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work." According to a March 22 statement by Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North Korean leader, the U.S. president said also in the letter, "He was impressed by the efforts made by the chairman to defend his people from the serious threat of the epidemic."

Kim Yo-jong's statement also showed that the regime was heading toward becoming an isolated, self-reliant nuclear state. The North keeps developing and testing new types of tactical short-range missiles and large multiple rocket launchers to complement its strategic nuclear arsenal, while struggling to build a self-reliant economy.

Pyongyang has made it clear that it will not return to the nuclear talks until Washington drops its hostile policy and stops making "unilateral and greedy demands." To engage the U.S., the North demands a "fair and balanced" level playing field. The North is observing if there is any difference in view between Trump and his advisors regarding North Korea to exploit this to its advantage.

Commenting on Trump's letter, Kim Yo-jong, first vice departmental chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Workers Party, welcomed "the good personal relationship" between Trump and her brother. But, she said, "Nobody knows how much the personal relations would change and lead the prospective relations between the two countries." She added, "I think that the bilateral relations and dialogue…would be thinkable only when a dynamic and moral equilibrium is maintained and fairness is assured between the two countries."

Pyongyang's foreign ministry has set up a new "bureau of negotiations with the U.S.," suggesting that the business of "negotiations with the U.S." is unfinished. It may have organized the new bureau to study and plan better for future talks with the U.S., if its leadership opts for dialogue.

On March 30, the director-general of the new bureau issued a statement to criticize top U.S. diplomat Mike Pompeo's call for "continuing diplomatic and economic pressure against North Korea" at a G7 conference, March 25. The director-general said, "Relationship between the top leaders cannot reverse the U.S. hostile policy towards the DPRK, and the resumption of dialogue much touted by the U.S. is nothing but a decoy to keep us from going our own way."

He also said, "We dropped the interest in dialogue, but have become more zealous for our projects aimed to repay the U.S. for the sufferings it has inflicted upon our people. We will go our own way."

The same day Yonhap News reported that Pompeo responded to Pyongyang's criticism, reconfirming, "The United States looks forward to sitting down with North Korea's leadership for nuclear talks. The president's position on North Korea and mine has been in lockstep since the very first day I became secretary of state. President Trump has also been clear that international sanctions must continue, until we get to the point where we have made sufficient progress towards denuclearization."

Now that COVID-19 has swept all over the world, with more than one million cases and over 64,000 deaths, all countries, including North Korea and the U.S., should concentrate their efforts on human security, to protect the lives of their people, which is the highest priority of any government. More sharing of pandemic experiences are encouraged among the nations.

When the world gets through this pandemic crisis, all national governments should use their resources, not on arms build-up or war plans, but for rebuilding the global economy and promoting peaceful cooperation that will benefit the welfare of all nations.

[The Korea Times, 2020-04-28]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2020/04/137_287413.html