Clinton put N. Korea in nuclear club, made `harmless` gesture: report

By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton demonstrated
Washington's view of Pyongyang as a nuclear state and emphasized a fresh approach
to North Korea during her Asia trip, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper claimed Monday.
But Clinton displayed only "harmless diplomatic language" and no realistic action
and it remains to be seen whether Pyongyang will respond to the U.S. "indirect
message," said the Choson Sinbo, a Tokyo-based newspaper that conveys North
Korea's stance.
"It is clear that the first Democratic administration in eight years is basing
its foreign policy on the premise that North Korea has nuclear weapons," it said.
The report was referring to critical remarks Clinton made about the George W.
Bush administration during her four-nation Asia trip last week, particularly her
disapproval of U.S. accusations that Pyongyang ran a highly enriched uranium
program, which led to the collapse of the 1994 framework. After Bush officials
raised debatable allegations in late 2002, the denuclearization framework broke
down, and the North resumed its plutonium program that enabled it to conduct a
nuclear test in 2006, she said in media interviews.
"She displayed her idea that 'North Korea came to possess nuclear weapons because
everything had broken down,'" the Choson Sinbo said.
The Framework Accord signed between North Korea and the Bill Clinton
administration was to freeze the North's nuclear power plant program and build
light water reactor power plants, which would make producing nuclear weapons more
difficult for the North.
"It wouldn't be just a personal thought of Secretary of State Clinton, who was
the president's wife when the Geneva agreement was reached," it said.
The pro-North Korea newspaper also noted the appointment of Stephen W. Bosworth
as U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, which Clinton officially
announced during her Seoul visit. In the announcement, Clinton stressed the
high-level authority of the special envoy in what appeared to be an "indirect
message" of engagement to North Korea, the report said. Bosworth, a former
ambassador to Seoul who visited North Korea earlier this month ahead of his
official appointment, has been a vocal supporter of dialogue with North Korea.
"The appointment of a special envoy was announced in Seoul, but the counterpart
from whom the White House expects a response is in Pyongyang," it said, adding
that "indirect dialogue is already underway."
Pyongyang was not included in Clinton's trip to Asia that included Japan,
Indonesia, South Korea and China, but North Korea "must have closely watched
every move the secretary of state makes," the report said. "The secretary of
state also appeared to be making remarks on North Korea, mindful of the
diplomatic counterpart that has yet to be encountered," it said.
The Choson Sinbo, however, was not entirely optimistic. By criticizing Pyongyang
for preparing to test-launch a long-range missile, Clinton covered up the fact
that North Korea is technically at war with the U.S., and that the U.S. military
in South Korea is stepping up war drills, the report claimed. The 1950-53 Korean
War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
"There was only harmless diplomatic language from a multi-talented person, but
there is no realistic action yet. It remains to be seen what responses the
secretary of state's indirect message will draw from Pyongyang. It's because
North Korea will likely take actions to cope with reality, not with diplomatic
language," the report said.
"There is a deep-rooted distrust in North Korea against the U.S. double tactic
that talks loudly but makes no action," it said.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)