A rethink on DPRK policy necessary

In this Feb 22, 2008 file image, North Korean workers operate equipment at North Korea's main nuclear reactor in Nyongbyon.[Photo/IC]

Saturday marks the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2005 Six-Party Joint Statement, which was reached by China, Russia, the United States, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea and Japan to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

But the peninsula is still far from being denuclearized. On Tuesday, the DPRK announced that its nuclear scientists were "steadily improving the levels of nuclear weapons with various missions in quality and quantity".

A day before that, the DPRK had said it had reached the final stage of developing satellites for "earth observation", hinting at a possible launch of a long-range rocket or ballistic missile.

In the 2005 Six-Party Joint Statement, however, the DPRK had agreed to abandon all its nuclear programs, including those to build nuclear weapons, accept the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency and abide by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This proves that the nation-to-nation negotiation had the potential to defuse the tensions between opposing parties and restore peace on the Korean Peninsula.

But the groundbreaking consensus met its Waterloo more than two years ago when Pyongyang unilaterally nullified the Six-Party Talks, posing a challenge to nuclear non-proliferation and security in Northeast Asia.

Worse, the DPRK's unilateral move could lead to a nuclear race even nuclear leakage, radiation and nuclear pollution. Once that turns into a war, regional players, including China, might face a refugee and economic crisis.

For years, Beijing has been making every possible effort to advance the process of the Six-Party Talks for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula despite Pyongyang's repeated disregard for international concerns. Yet in August, reviewing the inter-Korean military confrontations, DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un said it was Pyongyang that offered to defuse the tensions in a peaceful manner.

Sadly, Pyongyang has used its military-first strategy, simultaneous nuclear weapons' program and national economy, and strong aversion to the so-called dominating world powers as a powerful weapon to garner the support of its people.

It's high time, therefore, that China adjusted its DPRK policy. For one, China has to make efforts to ensure the China-DPRK partnership is respected by both sides.

Also, a rising China cannot afford to have a neighborhood with beligerent countries, because that would lead to some crisis or the other with unimaginable results.

Hopefully, the international seminar in Beijing over the weekend to commemorate the 2005 joint statement will help get all relevant parties back to the negotiation table.

The author is a professor at Yanbian University, Jilin province.