North Korea: A Strategic Challenge
Abstract
The 2002 Asian Games marked several historical firsts for Koreans: during the opening ceremonies the North and South Korean teams strode into the Seoul stadium side-by-side wearing the same uniform and carrying a special "Unification" flag (depicting a powder blue outline of the Korean Peninsula on a white background); hundreds of North Korean supporters waved North Korean flags-the first time the flags were permitted to be displayed in South Korea; North Korea's 300-member cheering squad arrived by ship, the first time a North Korean passenger ship has entered South Korean waters; and the Asian games marked the first time North Korea participated in an international sports event hosted in South Korea. These firsts, coupled with other recent landmark events--family visits between North and South Koreans, North Korea's admission to kidnapping Japanese citizens, rail, road and tourism projects spanning the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), to name a few-indicate North Korea's willingness to pursue more open relations with the world and, in particular, South Korea. Do these events portend an official end to the Korean War and the re-unification of the Korean Peninsula, events of critical interest to the United States? Unfortunately, while these recent milestones are promising, North Korea is pursuing greater contact with South Korea and the rest of the world as a result of its dire economic strait and its need of international support for the regime's survival. North Korea is still a threat to the interests of the U.S., and the United States' current strategy in dealing with the North has failed to eliminate this threat. The United States must therefore take action to prepare to use military force against North Korea to protect its interests.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA442642
Entities
People
- Steven G. Webb
Organizations
- National War College