Zachary Drake at Internal Monologue makes a valid point regarding the lack of resolve displayed by the U.N. Security Council in response to the October 10 nuclear test conducted by the Choson Minjujuui Inmin Konghwa Kuk (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). Time and again Kim Chong Il pushes the boundaries of what is considered acceptable international behavior, and time and again the international community responds with “disapprobation” (read: fear), only to allow him to get away with it, anyway.
As Zac notes, this time we really got tough. Yeah, U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718 will really rip them a new one. (Not.) We’re supposed to freeze only the assets 
related to Kim’s nuclear and missile programs? (How many of said assets are sitting around, say, in United States banks ripe for the freezing?) The part about barring “the sale of luxury goods used to reward the elite” is simply laughable. As if they won’t find a way to get those goods, anyway. Back in the day when I was a Korean linguist with the good old Air Force, I remember translating something indicating that a big shipment of suckling pigs and champagne was headed into the port of Nampo. Suckling pigs? Oh boy, I thought. Kim Chong Il is going to hold a luau for all his prison camp detainees!
And they say he’s a bad man….
For more on my opinion of the gutless, spineless nature of the United Nations, see my comments on de-fanged and neutered Chihuahuas here.
Technorati Tags: U.N. Security Council, Choson Minjujuui Inmin Konghwa Kuk, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Chong Il, United States, Korean linguist, suckling pigs, champagne, Nampo, luau, prison camp
Loading ...
Thanks for the link, Effluent. Yes, it’s sad to see all the flailing and posturing on North Korea that’s going on. I was hoping that this test would have angered China enough that they would really put the screws to North Korea. China put a lot of diplomatic muscle behind keeping North Korea in line, and this test (whether dud, fizzle, or fake) was a real slap in China’s face. But I think China finds North Korea too useful as a foil against the United States to really risk much to reign them in. Of course, if we had more leverage with China, we might be able to get them to do this for us, but because they hold so much of our debt (and perhaps for other reasons, too) we don’t seem to have much pull with them at the moment.
Another problem with dealing with North Korea is that neither China nor South Korea wants the regime to collapse, because neither want to deal with the refugee flood. So all their measures against the North seem to be somewhat half-hearted.
Let me know what you think of all this. It sounds like you have a good deal of Korean peninsula expertise. I only know what I read in the newspapers and on a few blogs.
-Zachary Drake (zdrake.blogspot.com)
Hey, Zachary! No problem on the link. And I think you nailed everything pretty much on the head.
I’ve been watching the news this morning, and they’re saying that Chinese officials actually have been stopping North Korean vehicles at the border. But they also said that they’re not bothering to look at what’s inside the crates or boxes or containers (or whatever) that are inside the trucks. Go figure.
And the amount of debt we owe them…. It makes me sick.
You’re right about China and South Korea not wanting a flood of refugees. It’s something I certainly understand. I live in south central Arizona, and we have our own flood of refugees walking through these parts all the time!
Hey, I’ll stop by your blog again real soon and see what you’re writing.