How Should The International Community Handle North Korea?

Introduction 

North Korea’s nuclear program has resulted in hostile diplomatic relations not only with the United States but also with other countries in the Korean Peninsula. Historically, the existing tensions witnessed between the United States and North Korea – or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) - began in the early 1990s. The first US-North Korean nuclear crisis occurred in the early 1990s when the founding president of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, decided to build a nuclear weapons program at Yongbyon (Terry, 2014). Since then, tensions have continued to rise between the two countries. Attempts to defuse the atomic crisis using deals, such as the Agreed Framework have significantly failed. Under the administrations of Presidents Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong-un, North Korea has revoked international treaties to end its nuclear program and the development of long-range missiles (Cha, & Kang, 2018). North Korea has even continued with its threats of striking the United States and other countries in the Korean peninsula with its long-range missiles. North Korea has become a problem that won’t go away. However, the development of a nuclear weapons program is not the only problem. North Korea’s regime has continued to deprive ordinary North Korean citizens of all fundamental human rights. The horrific violations that citizens are subjected to include prison camps and religious oppression. The international community can handle North Korea’s crisis by developing multilateral solutions, such as providing substantive economic assistance, engaging the European Union in the peace settlement, offering quality education to the country’s younger generation, and providing humanitarian aid. 

Providing substantive economic assistance 

Provision of substantive economic assistance to North Korea would prevent further provocation of Pyongyang thereby shielding against the occurrence of a full-on war. North Korea Korea’s crippled economy can only be revived when a consortium of the country’s neighbors, the United States, and the European Union provide economic assistance. Adopting regional financial aid will reduce the existing tensions, oversee the transition of peaceful order, and foster relations around the Korean peninsula (Terry, 2014). North Korea’s economy is not functioning leaving the country in desperate need for cash. Countries in Korean Peninsula should also strive to channel funds that will help boost investment in North Korea. North Korea is an isolated country and showing some form of cooperation with her will highly stake the possibility of a positive outcome. Investments will boost trade which will enable North Korea’s economy to flourish. 

Trade will increase interaction between the rival countries which will, in turn, boost friendly diplomatic relations. North Korea’s government will, therefore, halt its nuclear weapons program because it will have no enemies that pose a security risk to the country. Funds that could have been used in the development of nuclear weapons could be channeled towards improving the country’s infrastructural development. North Korea will peacefully coexist with South Korea and the United States thereby minimizing the possibility of nuclear war that would have left millions of people dead (Kim, 2015). China and Russia should build rail lines into The Republic of Korea in a bid to open the sealed frontier between North Korea and South Korea. The United States should also make Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction assistance a priority for it to effectively convert military programs to civilian programs (Yoon & Lee, 2013). 

Engaging the European Union in the Peace Settlement 

In an attempt to Solve US-North Korea’s nuclear crisis, there is an urgent need for the international community to engage the European Union in the peace settlement. A stable and better relationship exists between North Korea and European nations. The international community should use European countries, such as Sweden to act as an arbitrator between the United States and North Korea. Sweden has enjoyed a better relationship with North Korea for decades. Sweden is therefore active in Korean issues which makes it possible for it to negotiate peace agreements on North Korea’s behalf and convince her from continuing with its nuclear program (Cha, & Kang, 2018). It is also possible for the European Union to successfully develop training and humanitarian programs that will prevent Kim’s regime from committing further grave human rights abuses. The international community can convince that European Union to formulate heavy sanctions on North Korea to bring about positive outcomes. North Korea has become a problem that won’t go away. However, the development of a nuclear weapons program is not the only problem. According to Cha and Kang (2018), attempts to defuse the atomic crisis using deals, such as the Agreed Framework have significantly failed. Under the administrations of Presidents Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong-un, North Korea has revoked international treaties to end its nuclear program and the development of long-range missiles. North Korea’s regime has continued to deprive ordinary North Korean citizens of all fundamental human rights. The fear of losing the European nations as its allies would force Kim’s government to abide by the rules of the international community and even abandon its nuclear program and respect human rights. For example, in the early 2000s, international community criticism of Kim’s government temporarily resulted in the halt of public capital punishment. 

There is a possibility that the European Union’s active involvement in North Korea’s human rights crisis would stop the human injustices that have been prevalent in the country for decades. The European (EU) Union should withdraw their support if Kim’s administration fails to refrain from human rights violations. With no help from EU, North Korea’s government would eventually collapse thereby marking the end of Kim’s autocratic dynasty (Park, & Walsh, 2016). The International community would then usher in a new North Korean president that respects human rights and has a desire in maintaining global peace. Failure to engage the EU in solving the existing tensions between North Korea, South Korea, and the United States will only contribute towards a continues episodic North Korea crises (Kim, 2015). In the long-run, the North-South-U.S. relationship will become damaged to irreparable measure until it erupts into all-out war. 

Provision of Quality Education 

The international community should develop an active interest in providing quality education to North Korean’s younger generation. Knowledge is power, and with better education, North Koreans will be in a position to identify their human rights and openly speak up against Kim’s dictatorship (Buzo, 2016). It is not a secret that North Korea’s younger generation is tired with the current state of affairs in their country. Violation of fundamental human rights, sentenced to jail without trial, and public capital punishment, rising poverty levels, and unemployment are some of the problems that the younger generation is currently facing in the country. Quality education will impart knowledge that will act as a tool for turning the tragic history of North Korean people. North Korean citizens will have the voice to rebel against a military-dominated government that is oppressive and fails to pay attention to what the people are saying. There has been an increased number of North Korean defectors in recent years. Increased number of defectors directly translates that North Korean’s are ready for a change. 

Public education will also take away the fear that Kim’s government has instilled in people. The press will be free to share their thoughts on the current regime through broadcasting and publications to raise public awareness. North Korea’s society will open up and place all its focus in rebuilding the economy. Kim’s government will be phased out if it fails to develop policies that align with the will of the people. Historical evidence clearly shows that it is possible for enlightened and empowered people to topple down autocratic governments. For example, recent revolutions witnessed in countries such as Egypt and Libya suggest that the people have the power to alter history by removing autocratic rulers who have vested interests in looting public resources and violating the fundamental human rights of the people. A transplant of the West’s educational environment to North Koreans will make them aware of their fundamental human rights and directly experience the benefits of adopting a capitalist society. Education will act as a long-term investment in the future that will not only lead the country to economic survival but also prepare talented individuals who will lead North Korea in the future (Buzo, 2016). 

Providing Humanitarian Aid 

The international community should show a continuous and long-lasting interest in them through the provision of humanitarian aid (Buzo, 2016). The rising poverty levels in the country has resulted in deteriorating living conditions. Both adults and children are facing the risk of dying as a result of starvation. Humanitarian aid in the form of food will ensure the continued survival of ordinary citizens. The international community should strive to ensure that the food aid they provide goes directly to the citizens and not the government. The Korean government tends to prevent the general public from knowing that the international community is taking steps to offer humanitarian assistance in the country. Humanitarian aid should not be in the form of food aid alone. There is a need for the international community to develop policies that will ensure that North Korean defectors are accepted by other countries as refugees (Terry, 2014). Defectors should not be forcibly returned to North Korea without their free will. The North Korean government is notorious for persecuting defectors. 

Conclusion 

Though it proves difficult for the international community to involve itself with North Korea’s domestic affairs directly, it should adopt the policies mentioned above to encourage the country to open its borders to the outside world. Interactions between North Korea and other counties will help in reviving the country’s economy and cement positive relationships. Being considerate and sympathetic toward North Korea’s situation will reduce the feelings of isolation experienced by ordinary citizens. The international community should develop multilateral solutions, such as providing substantive economic assistance, engaging the European Union in the peace settlement, offering quality education to the country’s younger generation, and providing humanitarian aid. In addition, the international community should emphasize both on eliminating the nuclear and human rights crisis for it to be in a position to better handle North Korea’s situation. 

References  

Terry, S. M. (2014). A Korea Whole and Free: Why Unifying the Peninsula Won't Be So Bad After All. Foreign Affairs, 93(4), 153-162. 

Yoon, S. H., & Lee, S. O. (2013). From old comrades to new partnerships: the dynamic development of economic relations between China and North Korea. The Geographical Journal, 179(1), 19-31. 

Park, J., & Walsh, J. (2016). Stopping North Korea, Inc.: Sanctions Effectiveness and Unintended Consequences. Study. Cambridge, MA: MIT Security Studies Program. Accessed December 13, 2016. 

Cha, V. D., & Kang, D. C. (2018). Nuclear North Korea: A debate on engagement strategies. Columbia University Press. 

Buzo, A. (2016). The making of modern Korea. Routledge. 

Kim, S. H. (2015). The Day After ROK-US Cooperation for Korean Unification. The Washington Quarterly, 38(3), 37-58.