Our discussions of Latin American struggle for autonomy and American intervention got me thinking about the role of the U.S. in East Asia. Of course the U.S. has the responsibility and right to intervene in North Korean issues because of its alliance with South Korea and Japan. However, I believe the U.S. is not dealing with this conundrum in the best possible way. The American government intervened in Latin America using military force, which caused massive humanitarian crises, but it has been using this method again and again in dealing with North Korea (not to mention numerous other countries). For example, the South Korean government and the U.S. agreed to the installation of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) in South Korea early this year. According to the U.S. Army, the machine can defend South Korea against North Korean ballistic missiles, but it does not solve the core problem that North Korea is continuing its nuclear advancements. It may actually encourage Kim Jong-un to use nuclear weapons, which he seems close to acquiring, because THAAD will be perceived not only as a defense system—it will certainly be perceived as a threat as well. This feeling is indeed shared by the Chinese. Their government has stated numerously that THAAD is a threat to China's security as the system's range and radar capabilities span part of its territory. As a result, relationships between South Korea and China have worsened, and the Chinese have been boycotting Korean products, travel, K-Pop celebrities, etc.
Although sanctions and military action are necessary to a certain extent, I think that it is worrying that no country is genuinely trying to communicate and compromise with Kim Jong-un. "There's no only-sanctions strategy that will bring the North Koreans to heel," said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, based in Washington. "It has to be paired with a pragmatic strategy of engagement. But those talks are not yet happening." The termination of Kim's dictatorship or Korean reunification will not happen any time soon, but I think it is crucial for world leaders—particularly the U.S., South Korea, China, Japan, and Russia—to unite and make the attempt to reach an agreement with North Korea because otherwise, tensions are only going to ascend. I believe there is much more room for improvement than tweeting . . . because I am pretty sure Kim Jong-un does not have a Twitter account to communicate via direct messaging and will probably end up exchanging gibes if he does create one.
Also a thought on American intervention. I was disappointed a few months ago when I learned that war time control in Korea is still in the hands of the U.S. government and army. In other words, South Korean forces would fall under U.S. control and the U.S. would make final military decisions should the Korean war resume. South Korean President Moon Jae-in proclaimed on National Liberation Day (8/15) that nobody can make military decisions without South Korea's permission and he will do everything to prevent war. I like his remark because South Korea should play the leading role in solving the Korean Peninsula problem, not the U.S. Former South Korean Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung met with former Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il in the past in hopes of reconciliation, although no further meetings have been held since then. Although it is true that nobody knows for sure what is in Kim Jong-un's head, meetings initiated by South Korea should be a priority, instead of depending on American military force and verbal aggression.
I know North Korea is a sensitive issue but like Garcia Marquez's attachment to Latin America, I care about my home country, and I just wanted to express some thoughts about the current role of the U.S. in East Asia because in my eyes, the Korean Peninsula issue has become more of a dispute between the U.S. and North Korea. It is important that someone looks at North Korea and says, "North Korea is not our main adversary, our real enemies are North Korean nuclear tests and weapons that are serious threats." Because when we decide that North Korea itself and its government are our enemies, we drop the effort to talk. Our aim should not be the destruction of North Korea solely through strengthened sanctions and military force, but it should be nuclear freeze and persuading Kim Jong-un by prioritizing "pragmatic strategy of engagement". (Attack on Pearl Harbor happened after the U.S. imposed an oil embargo on Japan.)
In a few years' time, I will have to complete mandatory military service in South Korea for 21 months, and I don't want war.
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