North Korea has been intensifying verbal offensives against the South through various media channels beginning this month, and its criticism has now been aimed at South Korea’s Unification Ministry. Through the North Korean website ‘Among Fellow Koreans’ last Saturday, Pyongyang severely denounced the latest version of the ministry’s education guideline, which describes North Korea’s reality and security conditions in the region. The North argued that the guideline is nothing but a conspiracy against North Korea, calling it an anti-communist, anti-North Korea handbook that might possibly be released by what it calls the ‘Division’ Ministry, not by the ‘Unification’ Ministry. On the same day, Pyongyang Radio also strongly accused the ministry of citing the improvement of North Korean human rights situation as one of its major tasks for 2008 during a policy briefing session to the president last March. Here’s Dr. Kim Jin-mu of the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis to explain in detail that with which North Korea seems to be so malcontent.

Most of all, Pyongyang roundly condemns the Lee Myung-bak government’s basic North Korea policy, characterized by the ‘non-nuclear and open-door policy 3000.’ Under the plan, Seoul will help increase North Korea’s per-capita income to 3,000 US dollars within 10 years, if the North abandons its nuclear programs and open its doors. Pyongyang understands it must give up its nuclear development and open up its society first, before receiving any help from Seoul. North Korea says the plan does not support unification but stokes up confrontation instead. The North urges South Korea to inherit the policy of engaging North Korea that had been upheld by the previous two liberal governments for the last ten years, and to implement the agreements made at the first and second inter-Korean summits. North Korea said it would suspend ties with Seoul if its demand is not accepted. Citing comments by the chairman of the South Korean joint chiefs of staff last March, the North also threatened to ban all South Korean officials from crossing the Military Demarcation Line to visit the North.

North Korea’s offensive moved beyond rhetoric, as it sought to escalate military tensions. It test-fired missiles in the West Sea at the end of March, and a spokesman for the North Korean navy headquarters made a threatening comment on a possible military clash between the two Koreas near the Northern Limit Line, which serves as a de facto inter-Korean maritime border. More recently, the North is mounting offensives against Seoul by stirring up anti-government rallies in South Korea. Pyongyang is quick to make incendiary comments on South Korea’s U.S. beef imports and labor disputes in an apparent bid to foment conflict within South Korean society. So then, why is the North stepping up verbal attacks against the South? Dr. Kim explains.

It’s obvious that North Korea has no intention of accepting the ‘non-nuclear and open-door policy 3000’ plan. North Korea received massive benefits from the previous Seoul governments during their 10-year liberal rule. Also, the North believed, until recently, it could take effective control of South Korea. Now, the North seems to be concerned about the conservative Seoul government’s hard-line stance toward Pyongyang. The North is worried that if it inevitably gives up its nuclear programs and opens itself up, as the South would like, and if it subsequently loses its leverage over Seoul, that would eventually threaten the communist regime. So North Korea is attempting to induce the South Korean public to express discontent with the Lee government’s North Korea policy. By creating internal discord, the North seeks to discourage the Seoul government from pressing ahead with its North Korea policy. That’s why Pyongyang continues to launch harsh criticism of the South.

It is assumed that the biggest purpose of North Korea’s mounting criticism of the South is to thwart the Lee government’s ‘denuclearization and opening doors 3000’ plan. Pyongyang also aims to reclaim its lead over Seoul by forcing South Korea to implement the agreements reached during the first and second inter-Korean summit and to return to the old policy of engaging North Korea. To achieve that goal, Pyongyang mobilizes every possible means available, such as the suspension of authorities-level dialogue, bitter criticism of Seoul and military threats. However, South Korea has yet to make any response, remaining firm in its principle that it will provide aid to the North only after the nuclear issue is resolved. Against this backdrop, how will inter-Korean relations evolve?

Many predict that inter-Korean ties will undergo a cold spell throughout the year. South Korea is determined to stay the course on its North Korea policy but it doesn’t consider the agreements made at previous inter-Korean summits very much. Seoul has even brought up human rights abuses in North Korea. So I don’t think North Korea is ready to patch up relations with Seoul yet. The North Korean nuclear issue shows signs of improving, and the international community has begun providing aid to the impoverished North. As a result, South Korea’s food aid is losing its influence on the North. Seoul used to provide 500-thousand tons of food and 200-thousand tons of fertilizer to North Korea in previous years. But the North won’t likely ask for such help this year. Currently, social unrest sweeps North Korea, due to its severe food shortages. The North Korean government seeks to strengthen internal solidarity by denouncing South Korea. Given that the North encourages its citizens to blame their southern neighbor, it isn’t likely that North Korea will try to mend relations with Seoul anytime soon.

Many predict inter-Korean ties will entail a rough time for the time being, but they also analyze that there are no major factors to pose a threat to regional security. North and South Korea are now taking a tough line on each other, and the confrontation won’t be defused in the short term. But the standoff shouldn’t last long, since the North Korean nuclear issue won’t be resolved without Seoul’s support. Also, the relations between North Korea and China and those between North Korea and the United States are improving now, which is expected to ensure diplomatic stability on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea-China relations have improved significantly recently. There are many reasons, but I think their friendly ties have to do with the Beijing Olympics. North Korea won’t likely take any provocative action, at least until the Olympics end in late August. North Korea-U.S. relations are also progressing smoothly, and the six-party nuclear talks are expected to reconvene next month. Pyongyang will possibly blow up the cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear complex after its nuclear declaration list is submitted. Given these positive developments, there is a slim possibility of major setbacks in inter-Korea ties and military tension in the region.

However, some are worried that the ongoing multilateral effort to end the nuclear crisis may weaken to some degree after the Beijing Olympics end and the presidential race starts in the U.S. in September. Most agree that it will be ideal for South and North Korea to cooperate and take the lead in trying to achieve peace on the peninsula. It’s hoped that the two sides will be able to break the current deadlock and revive the dialogue momentum soon. 　 [Interview] ‘Rainbow Youth Center’ Helps Teenaged N. Korean Defectors Lead Better Lives
More and more North Korean defectors are coming to South Korea to find new homes year after year. Currently, some 13,000 such defectors are living in South Korea, and 3,000 of them are teenagers. It is said that many of those adolescents find it hard to acclimate themselves to a new South Korean environment and feel frustrated at this harsh reality.

Many teenagers, whether they are South Koreans or North Koreans, feel confused about their identity. Young students from the North, in particular, suffer a good deal of embarrassment because they find it difficult to form a confident self-image. They are usually reluctant to say they are from North Korea when people note their North Korean accent and ask them where their hometown is. They think they will be teased if they say so. The teenagers become reserved and taciturn, and they have few friends. Naturally, they feel lonely. When asked about their greatest problem, they say it’s hard to keep up with schoolwork but it’s even harder to endure loneliness.

NA: Here, a South Korean has been committed to helping out those unfortunate teenagers who are rather hesitant to talk about their hometowns. Yun Sang-seok, the official of the ‘Rainbow Youth Center,’ says he has realized he is grateful for so many things, thanks to these young students.

The Northern teenagers are honest and innocent, despite the fact they went through many hardships. They are very polite to teachers. They offer a glass of water to teachers first and then only drink themselves later. They don’t dare walk ahead of teachers. They use decent expressions even when arguing with their friends. I think they are different from their South Korean counterparts. Their pure hearts impressed me deeply. My wife gave birth to a child a month ago. Just yesterday, some of the North Korean teenagers visited me to congratulate me on becoming a father. One of them has found a job recently, six years after coming to South Korea. Another one, now a college student, bought me disposable diapers. I had lunch with them. I’m happy because I’m the one who they remember on special occasions, such as traditional holidays. I’m happy because I will get along with them for the rest of my life, just like my family and relatives.

Yun says he feels always happy because the young students love him just like their family, although they aren’t related by blood. He first got involved with teenaged North Korean defectors in September of 2001, when he served as an assistant teacher at Hanawon, a training center for North Korean defectors. He has since engaged in various activities at many institutes designed to educate the young students from the North. He has been working at the ‘Rainbow Youth Center,’ which was established in April of 2006 with the purpose of helping Northern teenagers resettle here in South Korea.

North Korean defectors, including teenagers, are supposed to receive two-month training at Hanawon after they arrive in South Korea. For teenagers, the training center provides information and tips needed to resettle in South Korean society and counsels them with getting jobs and attending schools. After they complete the training, they are allowed to live in their own places. They visit us and we visit them, when necessary. We help them find jobs or enroll at educational institutes.