North Korea: De-nuclearisation before reunification

Since the first summit in June 2000 between the leaders of the two Koreas in Pyongyang – President Kim Dae-Jung and North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il – both sides have kept the idea of one Korea alive, believing it will materialise before long. Since then the security environment in the Korean Peninsula has not been conducive to fulfilling the five-point declaration signed on June 15 that same year.
At this juncture, the overall sentiment surrounding the Korean Peninsula is changing rapidly, especially the mood of ordinary South Koreans on the streets, not to mention the growing tension in Northeast Asia. Casual conversations over here often begin or end with discussions on North Korea’s plans and intentions.
Views are divergent depending on the age of the speakers. In general, Koreans are extremely concerned about whatever threats – real or imagined – might come from the North. “We don’t know what is going to happen,” is a popular refrain. Such uncertainty can be rattling for the world’s 11th-largest economy. Pyongyang under new leader, Kim Jong-un is determined to become a nuclear power at all costs with numerous underground tests and missile launches.
Young people often have a generic view of the other Korea with its “crazy” leader with funny hair – and its youth does not have the freedom enjoyed in the South. Older generations, who went through the horror of a three-year war, remain bitter, knowing deep down that unless the two Koreas are reunified, there is no guarantee of any peace on the peninsula. Families separated by the war still suffer every day, as both sides have not yet completely reunited after the conflict ended 63 years ago.
Therefore, apparent serenity and business-as-usual in this ultra-modern city could be misleading. Truth be told, everyday security and defence forces inside the country – including American troops – are on full alert. They are ready to counter either possible cross-border attacks by artillery or weapons of mass destruction as well as outright invasion across the dividing line – the 38 degrees North latitude, popularly known as the 38th parallel line. As of 2014, South Korea has the world’s ninth-largest armed force with 650,000 on active duty and 3 million more on the reserve list.
Foreigners can easily sense the Korean deep-rooted fear of the North just through a brief visit to Panmunjom on the demilitarised zone (DMZ) and the War Memorial of the Koreas. Both Korean and American PR officials described the DMZ as the most dangerous place in the world. Images of young soldiers across the dividing line with dark glasses standing face-to-face only a few metres away is a must-send Instagram. However, beneath this picturesque no-man’s land, there have been more than 3,000 provocations from the North since the partition, according to a recent briefing at Panmunjom.
The horror of the Korean War is also kept alive at the war museum, which describes the conflict in graphic detail, including stories of the bravery of United Nations troops. Thailand and the Philippines were the only Southeast Asian countries, out of 16 UN members, who took part in the conflict. In front of the museum, there is small victory monument citing Thailand’s contribution with a total of 6,326 troops – 136 killed in action and 1,139 wounded.
In honour of the Thai “Little Tigers” unit, there is an insignia both in Thai and English languages. The latter reads: “O the depth of the valor and honor of the battle-tes [sic] ‘Little Tiger.’ How invincible its penetrating power. Intruding foes are no match for the elite Thai unit. How incomparable its frontline feat.”
Notably, there is a miniature Thai flag at Panmunjom, which has been a bone of contention between Thailand and North Korea. For decades, Pyongyang has consistently requested Bangkok to withdraw the flag to signify the warming up of their bilateral relations. Bangkok has refused. Other hot issues include the reported abduction of a Thai lady, Anocha Panjoy, in Macau four decades ago, and the arriving of North Korean asylum seekers in Thailand.
Apart from the nuclear threats, North Korea’s gross violations of human rights have already become an international issue, which led to the UN Human Rights Council in 2013 setting up a Commission of Inquiry to further investigate this issue. The COI’s previous reports concluded that North Korea committed systematic human rights abuses on a scale without parallel in any place in the world. The dire condition pushed COI to call on the UN Security Council to send North Korea’s leadership to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and its peoples.
Subsequently, international pressure has already prompted Pyongyang to act to improve its human rights re-cords by ratification of four key human rights conventions. With its cordial ties with Pyongyang, Bangkok is in a good position to reduce tension and promote stability in the Korean Peninsula.