The CNN article, When it Comes to North Korea Who's Really Being Deceptive? is surprisingly good. The author Will Ripley's bio says he's been to NK 19 times. His article explains the differences in negotiating styles and positions of the two sides, and how the NK position actually makes sense in light of US politics. Further he describes the Blue House reaction to the misleading characterizations in the New York Times' Sakkanmol missile base story.
The Blue House said Tuesday the existence of the missiles sites was "nothing new" and rejected the use of the word "deception" by the Times and similar framing of the story by other news outlets, including CNN, citing a risk of undermining sensitive talks.
"Talk of 'secrets' or 'undeclared' or 'deception' can possibly bring misunderstanding at this moment when there is a need for US North Korea dialogue, because it can block the talks and undermine the opening of negotiation," the Blue House official said.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/13/asia/north-korea-missile-bases-analysis-intl/index.html
In fact, the existence of the Sakkanmol missile base has been known since its construction was observed two decades ago. The whole intent of the report and its framing is obviously to discourage the resumption of negotiations with the North. Another key aspect is the base chosen, one out of thirteen locations known to the US. The Sakkanmol missile base is 85km north of the DMZ and only 135km from Seoul. So the story is intended to impact South Korean political opinion, particularly that in Seoul.
Shin In Kyun 신인균, the military analyst who does so much work for Channel A Top Ten, is saying the US electoral politics are driving US policy toward North Korea to the hardline position. (트럼프의 큰그림에 낚인 민주당, 북폭으로 가나?) Democratic Party, hooked by the Trump big picture, heading to an explosion in North Korea? That's the title of his presentation. (Buk Pok appears to a contraction for bukhan pokkiak, north korea bombing attack.)
In other words, Democrats, "hooked by the Trump big picture," are hardliners. He begins his report with the Sakkanmol missile base story by the New York Times and the reported 13 "undisclosed missile bases," the US knows about but there are others alleged up to a total of 20. He then goes on to describe how this coverage and other coverage by the NY Times and other media are designed to support the Democratic Party officials by repeated reports criticizing Trump.
Shin calls it hooked by the Trump big picture, we call it Trump derangement syndrome. It plays right into the hands of the hardliners inside the beltway, State Department, and "national security" community who simply don't know what they are doing other than promoting as many military threats as they can to protect their budget and acquisition plans.
In any case, the election results forced the postponement of the Kim Yong Chol trip to NYC more than anything else. Shin cites Senator Markey as an example of the Trump syndrome driving the Democratic hardliners.
Shin asserted that Markey stated not only that Trump should not have a second summit with North Korea but that the State Department shouldn't negotiate with North Korea either. According to Shin, people in the US establishment think that this strategy intended to get the North Koreans to think that they may be attacked preemptively at any time, is going to get them to make the concessions along the lines desired by the US hardliners. The atmosphere it creates in the north, especially under current unstable conditions there, makes such a reaction unlikely. He does expect major US-South Korean joint exercises to resume in the spring, the possibility of which was reported in the Japan Times today. It is unlikely President Moon will give up his life long political goals so easily.
No comments:
Post a Comment