11) BLOCKING PEACE ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA
By Sean Burton, February 2011
The past year was certainly tense, due to confrontations between the forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (ROK, South Korea).
There have been repeated clashes between the navies of each country in the waters of the Yellow Sea. A North Korean vessel was badly damaged with unknown casualties late in 2009, and the South Korean vessel Cheonan sank in March 2010 in the same waters. Investigations into the latter by various countries have turned up conflicting results. South Korea and its allies say that it was attacked by a North Korean submarine, an act strongly denied by the DPRK. And then in November, the South‑controlled island of Yeonpyeong was attacked by North Korean artillery, killing two marines, wounding several others and damaging numerous buildings.
The Cheonan and Yeonpyeong events have been reported in western news media completely out of context, as random, unexpected and irrational acts of a desperate North Korea. But the fact is that both incidents occurred in a contested area of water between North and South Korea, a "no‑man's land" of sorts. More specifically, the DPRK recognizes a slightly more southern border, while the ROK recognizes a border that runs closer to the North Korean coast. Conflict in these waters, and indeed any Korean border incident, must be seen in the context of the state of war which has existed for sixty years.
Particularly vexing is that the ROK navy regularly conducts military exercises in this disputed area. In the case of Yeonpyeong, the South Koreans had numerous ships in the area, and were also performing an artillery drill, firing into waters claimed by the North. Korean People's Army forces contacted the South and demanded the firing cease. That was not forthcoming, and the North fired back a few hours later, leading to a South Korean response that may have killed several North Korean soldiers. Whether or not it was "excessive" of the North to target the island, Yeonpyeong nonetheless is a military base in a tense location.
Given all this tension, it was pleasant to hear that the DPRK proposed talks involving the defence ministers of both countries late in January, with the explicit purpose of putting forward its opinion on the Yeonpyeong attack and the Cheonan, as well as discussing the maritime border and South Korean/U.S. military exercises in the region. The DPRK has proposed such talks several times, but Seoul rejected them on the grounds that the North was not "sincere". Given the frequency of the North Korean requests and their current insistence that dialogue be resumed, Seoul did not want to be seen as blocking inter‑Korean relations.
It is therefore all the more disappointing that the preparatory meetings quickly fell apart. The South Korean delegation refused to budge on the agenda, insisting that no further measures could be discussed until the DPRK takes "responsible measures" with regard to the Cheonan and Yeonpyeong incidents. The DPRK sought to ensure discussion of the Northern Limit Line and joint South Korea‑US military drills, as well as South Korea's resumption of psychological warfare on the DMZ. The Southern delegates would not allow such discussion until the North produced "satisfactory" results on the two incidents.
What the South considers "satisfactory" probably means the North taking full responsibility. But one can scarcely talk about either incident without bringing up the maritime border or the South's military exercises. Yet the South seems to think these related matters are separate issues, which goes well with the media reporting the events out of context. This will make it easier for Seoul to shift blame back onto the North as solely responsible for ending the talks.
Speaking of psychological warfare, Seoul seems to be in no hurry to punish South Koreans who send anti‑Kim Jong Il propaganda over the border. The DPRK's senior leader, marked his 69th birthday on February 16, and agitators describing themselves as North Korean human rights activists took to the border to send their propaganda. According to the Hankyoreh newspaper, the event was attended by South Korean national assembly members from the ruling Grand National Party - hardly an indication of sincere cooperation with the North.
Making matters worse, South Korean and U.S. forces will conduct their annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercise at the end of February and early March. The exercise is designed to prepare for "total war" in Korea, with particular emphasis this year on intervening in North Korea in case of "regime change" or nuclear weapons proliferation. The drills will involve nearly 13,000 U.S. and 200,000 South Korean troops.
The North has regularly condemned these massive drills as provocative dress rehearsals for an invasion. Conducted in a sensitive region, they are as much a statement to the "enemy" as a means of training. In recent years the drills include plans for dealing with "political instability" in Pyongyang or with a "hostage situation" in the North, practically building an invasion into the exercise.
Inter‑Korean dialogue must resume immediately, in the interest of reducing border conflicts and improving relations. Long term peace will not be forthcoming if South Korea and its allies continue to marginalize the North and deny their own responsibility. The continued presence of a large U.S. force in the south, along with war exercises conducted in or near disputed territory, only serve to enhance tensions.
(The above article is from the March 1-15, 2011, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)