WASHINGTON –– Though South and North Korean athletes’ joint march during the Pyeongchang Olympics’ opening ceremony could symbolize a warming relationship, North Korea also may be taking advantage of the situation to expand its nuclear weapons program under the radar, experts said Wednesday.
2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
2002 Asian Games in Busan
2002 Asian Games in Busan
2003 Asian Winter Games in Aomori
2003 Asian Winter Games in Aomori
2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
2005 East Asian Games in Macau
2005 East Asian Games in Macau
2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu
2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu
South and North Korea have marched together in a number of international sporting events, including the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, 2002 Asian Games in Busan, 2003 Winter Asian Games in Aomori, 2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu, 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, 2005 East Asian Games in Macau and 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
Regardless of North Korea’s motives, the United States will most likely continue to pursue its policy of international pressure against North Korea, Scott Snyder, steering committee co-chair of the National Committee of North Korea, said. At a summit in Canada on Tuesday, U.S. officials said they will continue to push for diplomatic talks with North Korea, he said.
The decision for athletes from both Koreas to march together was made during a series of talks the two countries have held since Jan. 8., where they also decided to form a joint women’s hockey team and send a 230-person cheerleading squad from North Korea.
While these talks indicate a warming relationship between the two nations, it is too early to predict further peace negotiations, Snyder said.
“It is a tangible symbol of an aspiration for some kind of closer association [and] desire for unification,” he said. “But in terms of any additional change, that’s going to require … tangible changes in the relationship between the two Koreas and the relationship of North Korea to the world.”
There is a possibility that North Korea is buying time to continue the development of their nuclear weapons program, said Lisa Collins, a Korean scholar at Center for Strategic and International Studies. The timing is suspicious because North Korea has previously rejected several meeting proposals from the South Korean President Moon Jae-In, she said.
Yet James Person, research director of the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins; Strategic and International Studies, said he is less skeptical about North Korea’s change of attitude. North Korea recognizes matters could “easily get out of hand” if its leader and U.S. President Donald Trump continue their harsh rhetoric, he said.
“They do want to reduce tensions and essentially find a way for a small breakthrough that could lead to reduced tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” Person said.
%
North Korea Will Start a War
%
North Korea Will Not Start a War
A poll held among South Koreans. (Source: Gallup Korea)
