B.R. Myers Analyzes the Current Inter-Korean Talks

Here is another great read from ROK Drop favorite B.R. Myers who discusses how the likely ultimate goal of the current Inter-Korean talks is to lead to Seoul being able to circumvent UN sanctions:

It seems very likely, then, that the North and South had discussed the Games and agreed on key points well before Kim Jong Un’s “surprising” reference to the event in his New Year’s address. In another sign of close coordination, key phrases from that speech turned up in the joint statement issued after the first talks.

I have seen a few American op-eds warning Moon not to be naive, but I don’t believe he seriously expects the current round of talks to make the North more amenable to discussing disarmament. Regardless of his astute rhetoric to the contrary, which is aimed at Washington, denuclearization is not a priority to him or the left in general, which has long seen the North’s nuclear program as America’s problem, and no serious threat to the South.

The two Korean governments are now getting on so well because they share the short-term objective of making the North look better despite its refusal to disarm — better to the South Korean people above all, but also to the world community, whose support is vital if the South is to regain its ethnic license to bypass UN sanctions on the North. It’s hardly unrealistic for Moon to hope for such a result.  [B.R. Myers]

As I have been saying repeatedly the glamorization of North Korea’s Masik Ski Resort and Mt. Geumgang are all intended to convince both the domestic and international public that South Korea should be able to restart tours to North Korea.  These tours were a major cash cow for the Kim regime before they were shut down in 2008 after a South Korean grandma was shot in the back and killed by a North Korean soldier.

Here is another passage from his article I think has a lot of truth to it in regards to describing the younger generation in South Korea:

It wouldn’t do, in any case, to make too much of young people’s dissatisfaction about either the hockey team or the planned entrance into the stadium under the peninsula flag. Moon is right in distinguishing it from principled opposition to inter-Korean reconciliation. (Not that he would be put off by that either.) As I have written before, the young here generally shift between nationalism and state spirit depending on which of the two requires less action or sacrifice from them at the time in question.

The lack of strong ideological education in support of the ROK nation before one’s self is something the Kim regime is clearly taking advantage of to push their agenda.

Anyway as alway I recommend reading all of B.R. Myers article at the link.