korean unification studies

The differing views of the United States and South Korea on the nuclear issue were very evident at the press conference after talks between ROK Defense Minister Kim Jang-Soo and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The key point to make is that Gates believes that the anticipated resolution of the nuclear issue reduces the threat posed by North Korea. Kim believes that it does not. According to Kim:

Although it is true that North Korea has begun the process of disabling its nuclear program, we cannot say that the threat from North Korea has reduced tangibly or discernibly…

Basically, the difference of opinion that we have here is at the very heart of misunderstanding between the ROK and US on how to deal with North Korea. For the United States, the threat is all about nuclear and missile programs (and proliferation of the know how), for the ROK, the threat is all about 1.2 million North Korean mostly massed near the border.

Accordingly, for the US to resolve the threat, the nuclear and missile programs must be dismantled. For the ROK to reduce the threat, either the 1.2 million soldiers must disappear (no chance), or North Korean perceptions of South Korea as an enemy must reduced.

Kim Sang-Soo seems to have gone a long way to publicly explaining the differing perceptions between the ROK and US. Let’s hope others can follow his lead!