06/13/2002
EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-09943

POWELL ON NORTH KOREA

For over five decades, the U.S. military presence on the Korean peninsula has provided the security that South Korea needed to develop its free economy and democratize its political system. Today, South Korea is one of the most prosperous countries in the world. But contrast South Korea’s progress to that of North Korea.

As U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "North Korea’s rulers have strangled its economic development and squandered what few resources the country has left on maintaining a massive offensive military capacity. They grow missiles and weapons of mass destruction instead of food for their starving and destitute people." "North Korea’s dangerously deluded policies," said Mr. Powell, "drag its people further and further into a hell of deprivation and oppression.... Another generation of North Koreans" said Secretary of State Powell, "should not have to live in fear, in hunger and in cold.... We want the people of North Korea," said Mr. Powell, "to be exposed to a whole wide world of ideas and we want them to join the growing community of free peoples."

Working with South Korea and Japan, the U.S. is prepared to take steps to help North Korea move its relations with the U.S. toward normalcy. But progress will depend on North Korea’s behavior on a number of key issues.

First, North Korea must get out of the business of developing and selling weapons of mass destruction. In particular, North Korea must eliminate long-range ballistic missiles that threaten other countries.

Second, North Korea must make a much more serious effort to provide for its suffering citizens. The U.S. continues to be the world’s biggest donor of humanitarian assistance to North Korea. But, as Secretary of State Powell said, "We want to see greatly improved monitoring and access so we can be sure the food actually gets into hungry mouths."

Third, North Korea must stop threatening South Korea. The North must live up to its pledges to carry out confidence-building measures with the South.

And finally, North Korea must come into full compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards that it agreed to when it signed the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. North Korea must freeze –- and ultimately dismantle –- the country’s dangerous old nuclear reactors in exchange for safer light water reactors.

As President George W. Bush made clear during his February visit to South Korea, the U.S. supports a peaceful transformation on the Korean peninsula.