by Asgeir Hoem in Issue 7: Turmoil (18 April 2009)
This month started out with some tension when North Korea decided to go deaf-dumb-and-blind to the rest of the world, and go ahead with their planned rocket launch on April 5. The launch was officially to put a communications satellite into orbit, but is still widely considered a disguised missile test. The UN Security Counsil condemned the launch of the long-range rocket launch, saying it contravened UN bans. Turns out, North Korea doesn’t care.
North Korea announced Tuesday this week that they will discontinue all international nuclear disarmament talks, and restart the plant that enables them to make bomb-grade plutonium. Apparently, Kim Jong-il thinks the international dialogue is “useless.” They also ordered the four UN nuclear inspectors, the A-bomb watchdogs, to leave the country. Everything affiliated with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), including plant surveillance cameras, is being removed.
“The Security Council condemns the 5 April 2009 launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which is in contravention of Security Council resolution 1718 of 2006,” the UN security council said in a statement.
Resolution 1718 was passed in 2006, after Pyongyang launched a nuclear test in October. The resolution, which bans import and export of arms to North Korea, also prevents them from from “launching ballistic missiles or carrying out further nuclear tests”.
The one party state has shown little interest in Obama and America’s new approach to international politics, and it is acting no different than when George W. Bush was in office. An Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International studies said that North Korea’s fist is clearly clenched, and “one would assume the Obama administration would not go running to Pyongyang to resume dialogue.”
China, who might be the closest North Korea has to an ally, called on all parts to exercise calm and restraint. China’s foreign minister wants the US to engage North Korea directly in a bid to defuse the conflict, and they insist the six-party disarmament talks are still alive.
