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The above article seems to indicate that all is well with North Korea and her diplomatic partners, but in fact it is just another exemplification of how North Korea is abusing the trust shown by other nations.

Just as recently as February, six-nation party talks agreed on something for once, agreeing that North Korea would shut down its nuclear processing plant in return for monetary incentives among others. To ensure this, the United Nations would be sending officials down to the ground in North Korea. There was a meeting to discuss the warning time North Korea would be given, but why they would need some warning time if they had no weapons is baffling. That is beside the point here though, for North Korea had yet to shut down its nuclear plants.

In spite of all their actions, other nations still give some sort of preferential treatment to North Korea, with her actions resembling that of a spoilt child at a candy shop. China, a close ally of North Korea, still gives North Korea regular aid and ration supplies despite delivering empty promises. Russia, another considerably close ally of the north, also has avoided applying any considerable pressure to North Korea to start delivering. The same can be said of South Korea, who refuses to do so for fear of damaging an already fragile relationship.

However, at this point we must understand the circumstances surrounding North Korea’s supposedly weird and irrational actions. North Korea, despite increasing contact with the outside world, is still weary of so-called foreign powers, which according to their true ideology of communism is a detriment to progress towards to common good. Also, North Korea refuses to take the first step of the agreement for fear of betrayal by the others. Say for example, they shut their nuclear power plants, but the United States instead of normalising relations, instead take advantage of the situation and refuse to grant aid. North Korea is then stuck in a seriously disadvantaged situation with everything to lose.

North Korea realises how influential possessing nuclear technology can be. They may not have the economical might like Japan, but what they have is pure brute power, in a world where anarchy still rule. They believe that having a nuclear weapon is what stops the United States from, say, invading them.

Ultimately, all these actions stem from a lack of trust with each other, a lack of willingness to take the first step and put oneself at a temporary disadvantage by offering the olive branch first. This is diplomacy at its most delicate state. Diplomacy is give and take, a two-way affair. For it to work, both parties must be willing and gracious players, able to promise and compromise.

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