Time to walk the talk on Peninsula issue

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Tuesday that it was ready to join the Six-Party Talks unconditionally and was not averse to discussing even the contentious subject of uranium enrichment. This is certainly a positive step toward resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

But that does not mean the Six-Party Talks will resume immediately, because the Republic of Korea (ROK) wants the DPRK to apologize for the exchange of fire on Yeonpyeong Island in November last year and promise not to take similar actions in the future. The United States, on the other hand, insists that it will join the talks only after the ROK and the DPRK hold bilateral dialogue.

To resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, it is thus important to first figure out the crux of the matter. Pyongyang, for instance, has been arguing that the nuclear issue is an offshoot of Washington's hostile policy. This suggests the issue can be resolved only if the US abandons its hostile policy toward the DPRK. But then it seems the DPRK wants to use the nuclear issue to win the recognition of the US, which would pave the way for its integration into the international community.