Tuesday’s North Korean News…On Wednesday
According to this Korea Times article, South Korea has found another way to bow and grovel at the feet of the North Korean worker’s paradise.
South Korea is looking for a softer wording to replace the so-called “complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement” (CVID) formula, held fast to by the United States in resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis.
Hmm…What would Koreans prefer? How about, “partial, unverifiable, and quicky reassemblable dismantlement?” Would that make you feel better? Do you think that would sufficiently appease the North?
The terminology, used by the U.S., Japan and South Korea, emerged just before the second round of the main six-party talks held in Beijing in late February, prompting fierce objections from the North Korean side.
If the US forwarded a policy called the “Rosey Sweet, Come and Take South Korea Because We Will Let You Have It” policy, the North would object. The North will reject anything the US says or does. For that matter, so does South Korea. For example, the cry has been “Give us back Yongsan and get out of the country,” for decades. The US anounces Yongsan will be returned and groups of soldier will leave Korea. The response? “You can’t leave Yongsan, and you just can’t leave the country” It’s a classic case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Here, if the US continues to insist on the very clear, specific, and unambiguous phrase, “Complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement,” then Korean will be angry with the US for not being nice or fair to their oppressed northern brothers. On the other hand, if the US caves into the demand of the North, the US wil be blamed somewhere down the line for making vague and non-specific instructions.”
“North Koreans have a knee-jerk reaction to the expression CVID and feel threatened by it,” an official familiar with the nuclear talks said. “They argue the CVID formula is a condition imposed on a defeated nation, and it is a humiliating requirement.”
Personally, I think they should feel a bit threatened.
Chief U.S. delegate Joseph DeTrani is said to have responded positively to Seoul’s suggestion, saying his nation would discuss it with “flexibility.”
South Korea gave assurances that there will be no fundamental change to the three allies’ shared view that the North’s nuclear programs should be dismantled.
So, the south suggests using different words to say the same thing. Well…how on earth will that make the North happy? Some hack writer once said something like, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” No matter what, the North will still object becasue it will still be seen as conditions placed on a defeated nation.
And, I am sure glad that these talks are of such high level and importances that there is nothing more important to talk about or argue over than different ways of saying the same thing.