North Korea Destroys Liaison Office with South

DMM英会話 daily newsより、私自身の回答を備忘録として記録してます。今回のテーマはNorth Korea Destroys Liaison Office with Southです。

Main sentence:

North Korea has blown up an inter-Korean liaison office building just north of the heavily armed border with South Korea. South Korea's government released military surveillance video showing clouds of smoke rising from the ground as a building collapsed at a now-shuttered joint industrial park in Kaesong where the liaison office stood.

South Korea issued a statement describing the demolition as "an act that betrays hopes for an improvement in South-North Korean relations and ... peace on the Korean Peninsula."

The North has also said that it is cutting off all government and military communication channels with the South while threatening to abandon peace agreements reached during North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in 2018.

Moon played a key role in setting up the first summit between Kim and President Donald Trump in June 2018.

Some analysts believe the North, after failing to get what it wants in nuclear talks, will turn to provocation to win concessions because its economy has likely worsened as a result of US-led sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic. North Korea may also be frustrated because the sanctions prevent Seoul from resuming joint economic projects with Pyongyang.

The liaison office has been shut since late January because of coronavirus concerns. The office, built with South Korean money at a reported cost of $8.3 million, was opened in September 2018.

North Korea had earlier threatened to demolish the office as it stepped up its fiery rhetoric over what it called Seoul's failure to stop years-long civilian campaigns to drop anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North. South Korea said it would take steps to ban the leafleting, but North Korea argued that the South Korean response lacked sincerity.

Inter-Korean relations have been strained since the breakdown of a second summit between Kim and Trump in Vietnam in early 2019. The summit fell apart because of disputes over how much sanctions relief the North should get in return for Kim's dismantling of his main nuclear complex.

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Discussion

■1:What are your thoughts on the demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office?

I think this news is very disappointing.
This is because there is a dispute between neighboring countries that should have cooperated with each other.
I think that it is still unknown whether North Korea demolished the liaison office because of financial hardship, retaliation for leafletting, or other reasons. Wouldn't it be priority to collect more information carefully?

■2:In your opinion, how likely is conflict on the Korean peninsula? Why do you think so?

It is not possible to make a judgment based on the current information alone. I hope that there will be no conflict.
If the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic was functioning as a cause of conflict, it is necessary to improve the situation of infectious diseases.

However, I think that one of the major causes may be the nuclear problem. I think the reason for the the US's economic sanctions and the South Korea's interferes with the joint economic policy are due to the problem of nuclear possession. If the nuclear issue is not resolved in the long run, it may be difficult to truly achieve a good relationship between North Korea and South Korea.

■3:Do you expect inter-Korean relations to improve over your lifetime? Why? Why not?

As I answered in the previous question, I think one of the major focuses is whether or not the nuclear possession problem will be resolved.

I also think it is necessary to resolve economic disparities. Looking back on past history, the German East-West integration may be helpful.

In 2003, the German Schroeder government carried out labor market reforms, and the German economy recovered significantly. The Schroeder administration eased restrictions on dismissal and increased liquidity in the labor market. It also promoted social security reforms at the same time, shortened the period for receiving unemployment insurance to encourage employment, and reduced benefits if unemployed refused the introduced job. In addition, skill training and recruitment services were strengthened. Through these efforts, Germany has created an environment in which more people are willing to work longer. As a result, productivity gradually improved throughout Germany.

I think that such political intervention is an issue that must be considered for the North-South integration of the Korean Peninsula.

■4:How would you describe your country's relationship with North Korea?

I think there are some problems to be solved.
One is, of course, the nuclear issue. North Korea may also report to Japan overlooking the threat of nuclear weapons. Japan has the idea of ​​three non-nuclear principles (do not make, do not have, do not bring in), and I personally support this idea.

The other is the abduction issue. From the 1970s to the 1980s, many Japanese were unnaturally missing. Investigations by Japanese authorities and testimony of exile North Korean agents revealed that many of these cases were heavily suspected of being abducted by North Korea. People are still missing, and protests by relatives are still ongoing.

■5:Would you support a total ban on nuclear weapons? Why? Why not?

I completely agree with the nuclear ban.
The solution to all problems by violence should be denied, and we should not repeat the mistakes of war that we made in the past.
Even the idea of ​​possessing a nuclear weapon for self-defense purposes is considered extremely dangerous.

In particular, Japan is the only country that was attacked by nuclear weapons in World War II. The tower damaged by the atomic bomb is preserved as it was at that time, and many people still visit it on the anniversary of the end of the war. I think we must not forget the sad past events.

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Further Discussion

■1:How do you think the majority of North Koreans feel about their government?

It's hard to imagine because there isn't much information, but I think that many people do not like politics.

I often see news of North Korean defectors.
At the TED talk, Lee Hyeon-seo talked about her epic childhood experience. Her story was related to North Korean famine struck in the 1990s. I suspect that some people may be dissatisfied with politicians due to various issues such as economics, medical care, and food, not just politics itself.

■2:If you had the chance to visit North Korea, would you? Why? Why not?

I don't want to visit North Korea.
I think it's a relatively poor country with political instability, and I think there is a risk of not being able to visit safely.

■3:Do you think you'd make a good diplomat? Why? Why not?

I think we can build good relationships, but we think that cooperation from multiple countries is necessary for that.

In order for North Korea to cooperate with its neighbors, it is necessary for North Korea to have its own financial independence. For that reason, we think that the support only in South Korea will be a heavy burden. It may be necessary to strengthen cooperation among countries including Japan, China, and Russia. As a result of these efforts, I think it would be a wonderful future if North Korea abandons its own nuclear weapons.

■4:Would you rather meet Moon Jae-in, Kim Jong Un, or Donald Trump? Why?
Not included in the options, but I would rather like to meet Kim Yo Jung.

Kim Jeong-eun, the sister of Kim Jeong-eun, is believed to have been heavily involved in the demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office.

Originally reported to be a very gentle and calm personality, she has shown a tough attitude in this series of incidents, and Korean media has been paying attention to her sudden change.

In my opinion, I think it may have the purpose of masking the weakening of national power due to the effects of economic sanctions and the new coronavirus, and appealing a "strong attitude" toward South Korea. Or is he doing "authority" as Mr. Kim Jong-un's "successor"?
I want to know the information around them.

■5:Are there any world leaders that you admire? Please explain your answer.

I think Winston Churchill is my most respected leader.

He is the most prominent prime minister during World War I, World War II, and the postwar Cold War era.
It is also famous for having put a reform knife into the Nazi dictatorship.

There is a movie called "Darkest Hour", and the political power that revived Britain in the early days of World War II was most appreciated.

He has also left behind some great words. My favorite word is "Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts."
Hearing his speech, I became one of the biggest fans.