Presidential Contender Tough on North Korea

This is why I tend to like Lee Myung-bak as the next President of Korea:

Lee Myung-bak, the early favorite for the December presidential election, urged North Korea yesterday to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons program, warning that it will otherwise gain nothing from the international community.  Mr. Lee made the remarks amid press reports that the North was prepared to freeze its only operational nuclear reactor in exchange for energy aid and other benefits during six-party disarmament talks set to open in Beijing on Thursday.  “I hope [North Korean leader] Kim Jong-il realizes that he doesn’t have anything to gain unless he dismantles his nuclear program and liberalizes the North’s economy,” Mr. Lee said in a news conference in with foreign correspondents in Seoul. “And even if North Korea agrees to freeze its nuclear facilities during the talks, they should ultimately comply with the precondition that they should be completely dismantled,” he said. “A freeze is not enough.” Mr. Lee, the leading presidential aspirant from the conservative opposition Grand National Party, indicated he would take a harder line on the communist North if he is elected as the next president.

It is good to see him take a hard line on the nuclear weapons program.  No aid should be given to the North Koreans until they verifiably dismantle their nuclear program. 

Lee was not done though:

“In essence, this government’s Sunshine Policy has failed,” Mr. Lee said, referring to President Roh Moo-hyun’s engagement policy with North Korea. “Even when our national security was under threat, they continued with unilateral engagement,” he added. “Incredibly, when North Korea tested ballistic missiles and exploded a nuclear device, the world was in shock. But this government responded as if nothing had changed; it was business as usual.”

The North Koreans could test a nuke off a Dokdo and the Roh government would still conduct business as usual with North Korea.  It is good to see that at least one contender is committed to shifting that paradigm.