Saturday, April 21, 2018
Seen from the South
Looks like Baby Kimmy got a good spanking on his little China vacation. He's making a big rhetorical move.
How does it look to the South, which has been doing the real work toward developing peace and reunification?
Main story:
The surprise announcement came during a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's central committee on Friday, presided over by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. ... The North will suspend nuclear tests and test launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles(ICBM) starting Saturday and also shut down the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in the northeastern province. The North said the decision is important in the path toward global nuclear disarmament, adding that Pyongyang will join international efforts to completely end all nuclear testing. The North said it will by no means use its nuclear weapons as long as there is no nuclear threat or provocation against the regime. It also vowed to never transfer nuclear weapons or technology under any circumstance. The statement also noted that tasks related to the two-track policy of seeking both nuclear and economic development, adopted in 2013, have all been completed, and the new strategic guideline is to focus all efforts on building up the North's economy.= = = = = Internal political response:
The liberal ruling Democratic Party welcomed the the announcement from Pyongyang calling it "highly encouraging." Spokesman Park Beom-kye said during a briefing that his party greatly welcomes the North's pledge on denuclearization and taking real action ahead of the inter-Korean summit. He said the move will contribute to the two Koreas reaching an agreement at the summit aimed at peace and co-prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, the conservative main opposition Liberty Korea Party remained skeptical, saying Pyongyang's announcement has little significance and is most likely putting on a show. LKP spokesman Choung Tae-ok said it cannot be called progress until the goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization is achieved, pointing out that the North has conducted six nuclear tests and is widely suspected of already possessing nuclear weapons. Choung cited various precedents, including the time North Korea blew up a cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear test site in 2008, only to discard its nuclear dismantlement pledge later.Okay, Baby Donnie. The ball's in your court now. This phrase: as long as there is no nuclear threat or provocation against the regime seems to be making a specific request in your direction. ¶ 1:16 AM
