Ally Tompkins
Global Security Studies
Professor Shirk
North Korea and Foreign Relations
As the Kim regime has gained control over North Korea, their cult of personality has consumed the ideologies of the populace. In maintaining their unpredictable reputation, each leader (currently Kim Jong-un) has preserved their oppressive rule over the state. Therefore, it is difficult to determine how many of the citizens of North Korea believe the propaganda that the regime provides and how, if the United States were to end the regime, people would react to a world without the Kim family. Thus, the United States is forced to determine the viability of the nation’s threats and nuclear power in order to establish a plan for further actions. The most recent approach known as strategic patience seems the most practical for current foreign relations, as it avoids the consequence from any potentially destructive activity.
The Kim family has become known for their outlandish claims surrounding their personas. From creating a reputation for Kim Jong-il as a fashion icon, to asserting that the rest of the world loves North Korea, the country’s leaders have forged a nation built on lies. In a completely artificial world, it is difficult to tell whether those who live there believe the words of their dictator and to what extent. Therefore, it is difficult to measure how to intervene with the nation’s leadership if after the fall of the regime there is a nation of distraught citizens with a secluded view of the actual world. It is difficult to keep a nation locked in fear and to garner the attention of major world powers, thus there is a danger in dismissing the rationality of a leader such as Kim Jong-un. Anna Fifield of The Washington Post notes that “Leaders throughout the centuries have realized it can be advantageous to have your enemies think you're crazy”, which she argues has been beneficial for the North Korean dictator. While it is evident that the decisions he makes are not good or beneficial for his people, it can easily be argued that they are rational. For example, he has been able to maintain power as he incited fear in the people of his country. A political cartoon by Rick Mckee depicts the North Korean leader as a child, drawing up his plan of attack on the Americans with crayons. Ofttimes Jong-un is dismissed as an immature child because of his anarchic behavior, yet it must be considered that their is a method behind his madness. While his actions may not be seen by members of a democratic state as rational, he has utilized his system of dread and disorder has allowed him to maintain his power to this day.
Therefore, it puts nations such as the United States in a burdensome situation in dealing with the nation. Beginning in 2003, the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea began engaging in meetings known as “Six Party Talks”(Lecture 10). While the framework for the talks still exist, there has not been a talk since 2009. Due to North Korea’s strong intent to build nuclear weapons, the ability to reason with the nation has lessened. If the talks were to change to those with five parties, it could lead to anger from North Korea. Therefore, engaging in such a system would not be beneficial for those involved, as it would only lead to irritation from the excluded party. Taking any drastic actions towards North Korea would risk great casualties amongst both the infiltrators and North Korea itself. Currently, the United states and other nations are preoccupied with North Korea’s intent on building up their nuclear weapons program. However, the human security issue in the country serves as a great problem as well. Yet, with the current regime in power, there are few options to take action against the human rights violations of the nation. Due to all of the risks associated with a definitive action, for now it seems that the best option is to wait. Few options at this point seem viable. In order to take down the regime, there must be a strategic element associated with timing. Similarly, the United States does not want to be responsible for beginning a war that could potentially be nuclear. Therefore, it is important that the United States take a step back to evaluate their options in order to take action when the timing is right. Ally Tompkins
Global Security Studies
Professor Shirk
As the Kim regime has gained control over North Korea, their cult of personality has consumed the ideologies of the populace. In maintaining their unpredictable reputation, each leader (currently Kim Jong-un) has preserved their oppressive rule over the state. Therefore, it is difficult to determine how many of the citizens of North Korea believe the propaganda that the regime provides and how, if the United States were to end the regime, people would react to a world without the Kim family. Thus, the United States is forced to determine the viability of the nation’s threats and nuclear power in order to establish a plan for further actions. The most recent approach known as strategic patience seems the most practical for current foreign relations, as it avoids the consequence from any potentially destructive activity.
The Kim family has become known for their outlandish claims surrounding their personas. From creating a reputation for Kim Jong-il as a fashion icon, to asserting that the rest of the world loves North Korea, the country’s leaders have forged a nation built on lies. In a completely artificial world, it is difficult to tell whether those who live there believe the words of their dictator and to what extent. Therefore, it is difficult to measure how to intervene with the nation’s leadership if after the fall of the regime there is a nation of distraught citizens with a secluded view of the actual world. It is difficult to keep a nation locked in fear and to garner the attention of major world powers, thus there is a danger in dismissing the rationality of a leader such as Kim Jong-un. Anna Fifield of The Washington Post notes that “Leaders throughout the centuries have realized it can be advantageous to have your enemies think you're crazy”, which she argues has been beneficial for the North Korean dictator. While it is evident that the decisions he makes are not good or beneficial for his people, it can easily be argued that they are rational. For example, he has been able to maintain power as he incited fear in the people of his country. A political cartoon by Rick Mckee depicts the North Korean leader as a child, drawing up his plan of attack on the Americans with crayons. Ofttimes Jong-un is dismissed as an immature child because of his anarchic behavior, yet it must be considered that their is a method behind his madness. While his actions may not be seen by members of a democratic state as rational, he has utilized his system of dread and disorder has allowed him to maintain his power to this day.
Therefore, it puts nations such as the United States in a burdensome situation in dealing with the nation. Beginning in 2003, the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea began engaging in meetings known as “Six Party Talks”(Lecture 10). While the framework for the talks still exist, there has not been a talk since 2009. Due to North Korea’s strong intent to build nuclear weapons, the ability to reason with the nation has lessened. If the talks were to change to those with five parties, it could lead to anger from North Korea. Therefore, engaging in such a system would not be beneficial for those involved, as it would only lead to irritation from the excluded party. Taking any drastic actions towards North Korea would risk great casualties amongst both the infiltrators and North Korea itself. Currently, the United states and other nations are preoccupied with North Korea’s intent on building up their nuclear weapons program. However, the human security issue in the country serves as a great problem as well. Yet, with the current regime in power, there are few options to take action against the human rights violations of the nation. Due to all of the risks associated with a definitive action, for now it seems that the best option is to wait. Few options at this point seem viable. In order to take down the regime, there must be a strategic element associated with timing. Similarly, the United States does not want to be responsible for beginning a war that could potentially be nuclear. Therefore, it is important that the United States take a step back to evaluate their options in order to take action when the timing is right.
Work Cited:
1.blogs.denverpost.com/opinion/files/2013/04/kim-cartoon-mckee.jpg.
2. Fifielder, Anna. “A Danger Lies in Underestimating North Korea.” Chicagotribune.com, www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-kim-jong-un-north-korea-20170325-story.html.
3.“How to Stop Kim Jong Un.” Time, time.com/north-korea-opinion/.
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It would be very interesting to know what the North Korean people really think about Kim Jong Un and his propaganda. However, as you have mentioned, it is very difficult to know with Kim in power, and unfortunately, there is no clear answer to how to deal with North Korea and its leader. There's to many unknowns about North Korea to make a rational, smart decision on how to deal with them. Like you mentioned, strategic patience has worked for the time being (as no nuclear war has begun), and seems like the only logical option for now. The North Korean people get the short end of the stick on this option, but it is the only viable option that is present at the moment. Using diplomacy proved ineffective and the limited geographic information that the rest of the world has on North Korea makes it impossible to bomb them. I agree with you statement that timing is everything. If an option presents itself, the United States and the rest of the world must take advantage of it. However, at the moment no opportunity has presented itself, so all that can be done is strategic patience.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the part where you say that Kim Jong-un has cultivated his crazy personality to his advantage. As I have mentioned before in class, Idi Amin used the same strategy in Uganda, and his horrors were only uncovered after he was overthrown. I feel that Kim could be doing the same thing with his own country, and that there is rationale behind his attempt to create a media image of himself. I do think, though, that strategic patience has not worked out for the North Korea situation, as it is what allowed them to gain nuclear power in the first place. That said, the only other option that could resolve the situation without making it worse is through diplomacy with China and Russia. They are the key to the entire situation, which makes it important that the U.S. not antagonize them too much.
ReplyDeleteI definitely feel that this is a very difficult, complex and uncertain situation. Strategic patience appears to be the U.S.'s only real option right now, along with perhaps some clever planning to help mobilize countries like China's aid (however this in itself is highly unlikely). It is very difficult to ascertain the true feelings of the North Korean people in such a situation, as well as the true mental stability of Kim Jon Un, however I feel that this public antagonistic pattern the President has undertaken may not be the best approach to the situation. Public discourse does draw attention the problem, however public antagonizing may serve to exacerbate tensions and help to create or speed up a potentially deadly conflict. Regardless of the opinion of North Korean citizens, and regardless of Jon Un's mental stability -whether he is a juvenile man, insane man, or a highly calculating one- few take kindly to insults, and often when those insulted are in control of a country, their response is dangerous. Strategic patience should be maintained, attempts at mobilizing China and/or Russia's assistance in a way that does not cause more issues should continue to be pursued and general antagonistic behavior should be stopped for the world's safety.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Adam in this instance. The best way, I believe, to get through to North Korea would be to communicate with them through their allies and those with whom they have diplomatic relations. Strategic patience has been wildly unsuccessful and it does not look as if it's going to get any better. Such a policy is passively allowing them to gain strength and we should feel at least mildly culpable for whatever happens. Also, by saying that we should not antagonize the DPRK and its leaders does not mean that we should legitimize them as good people or normalize their behavior. It just means that we need to deal with them like we would a child, allowing them to think that we are on their side and willing to cooperate, and then act as we need to.
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