North Korea (officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK) has been in the news repeatedly in the last several years. More often than not, whenever North Korea announces that they have completed some kind of test successfully, their nuclear program dominates the headlines.
It is known that North Korea has short-range missiles. Apparently, they are in the process of making long-range ones as well. Intercontinental missiles are in the works as well, with the possibility of reaching California.
The United States is not only concerned about a potential attack from North Korea, but are also worried about North Korean Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, and his ability to order an attack on South Korea, a regional ally.
It is not only the United States that is concerned about the potential for Kim Jong-un’s ability to send out nukes. Regional superpowers China and Russia are now saying that Kim Jong-un needs to return to previous negotiations.
After the DPRK tested a missile earlier in March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “It should be clear in Pyongyang that no one is going to exonerate the DPRK for such escapades,” referring to the DPSK’s launching of a test missile.
The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called North Korea’s actions “irresponsible.”
While I do not think that the North Koreans should launch a missile to the United States or any country, the DPRK’s attitude towards the U.S. government is not without merit.
North Korea, like other countries, still has not forgotten the past like the United States seems to have. The country was founded in 1948 after the country was divided into two parts: one controlled by the Soviets (North Korea) and the other controlled by the United States (what is now South Korea). In short, the North Koreans have not forgotten the division by the U.S. They probably have forgiven the Soviets because they were allies with them during the Cold War.
In short, this whole affair is the fault of the Soviets and the United States. As they were too busy worrying about communism and capitalism, the world suffered and continues to suffer from the divisions these countries made.
In the eyes of the DPSK, there should be only one Korea, and that Korea should be like North Korea. Additionally, North Korean leadership would probably prefer if the United States packed up and moved out of South Korea.
So, what should happen?
At the current way of things there are no winners. South Korea and the U.S. want Jong-un and his military to stop their rocket testing and to get rid of their nuclear stockpiles. The DPSK want the United States to get out of South Korea and stop what they see as meddling in Korean affairs. The also want to unite all of Korea and have it be a dictatorship where all the people are suffering and the whole country is just a shell.
The only way I can see any of this possibly working out is if the United States, Russia, China, and South Korea give incentives for North Korea to change. If North Korea could change, however unlikely this may be, then maybe there might be a possible way to change peacefully.
Historically, if the United States had an issue with a country’s leadership they would set up a coup, take the unwanted government out, and then put in someone who would cooperate with “American interests.” If anything, that is the worst thing the U.S. could possibly do. In almost every example where the United States did that, the country’s local population was worse off. In Guatemala in the 1950s, the United States took out a democratically-elected leader. His replacement killed many of the indigenous population. In Iran, the same thing happened in 1953.
If this stalemate is going to end, something must be done. However, it must be done carefully, as the country is being led by a leader who does not seem to care too much about who he takes out in the process. The world as a whole cannot afford to be careless with a hostile country in possession of nuclear weapons.
If the United States cannot get the country to change peacefully, then they must be ready for a long wait with preparations to take out a possible missile.
