The recent Panmunjom Declaration has dramatically opened a path to change the unfortunate history of East Asia. The declaration rightly asks Japan how she will fulfill its historic responsibility: it has cleared up a superficial theory that the past failures should be attributable to lack of pressures. The declaration is an outcome of great efforts of both of north and south sides of the Korean Peninsula and precisely responds to the desperate hope of Korean people.

NO MORE WAR EVER! – DESPERATE HOPE OF KOREAN PEOPLE

The North-South summit meetings were held in 2000 (Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il) and in 2007 (Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il), but the agreements were not satisfied. But this time, April 2018, the conditions changed. An advance was made.

The situation in the Korean Peninsula had been so tense until several months before that a war might happen. That was a consequence of the conservative regimes that lasted long in the Republic of Korea (ROK) which had maintained a cruel, hostile policy to the northern counterpart and remnants were left behind. We witnessed an extreme form of a chicken game; the Trump administration of the United States performed belligerently, while Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) gained nuclear capacity and tested ICBMs.

Decision of President Moon Jae-in

Just two months ago when President Trump referred to ‘permission to use small size of nuclear weapons’, people in the world were astounded. They foresaw a possibility that a pressure policy with military strength would bring catastrophic consequences. It was President Moon Jae-in that made a decision to cut the Gordian Knot (=to solve an intractable problem wisely). Behind his decision there lied the people’s determination never to see another war where fellow countrymen kill each other.

Under the circumstances the Panmunjom Declaration was realized. Japanese media and the conservative forces say ‘the North’s renunciation of nuclear potential is not clear’ or ‘all the past agreements were betrayed by the North’. It is for the first time that ‘North’ has agreed on ‘complete denuclearization’. This is a great step forward.

In addition, the declaration was agreed on not only denuclearization of DPRK but also of the entire peninsula. It will take time for the United States to shrink the powerful Nuclear Umbrella which covers the East Asian region. Denuclearization will not be realized immediately after the coming US-DPRK summit.

As we know, Prime Minister entreats the United States not to close the umbrella, so it is easily estimated that it takes time to carry out the denuclearization plan.

It is unrealistic to let solely DPRK assume responsibility for the past failures in maintaining agreements to stop the nuclear program. As for Libya, when the Gaddafi government discarded its nuclear program, the nation collapsed after the US-NATO military intervention and assassination of Colonel Gaddafi. The Saddam Hussein government of Iraq was destroyed by the military might on the basis of a lie that the nation had weapons of mass destruction. These incidents are not forgotten by DPRK without doubt.

The Trump administration staged ‘a decapitation operation’ and conducted the joint exercises with ROK (Japan participated in accordance with enactment of the war legislation). President Putin of Russia exactly told ‘they will eat grass, but DPRK will not abandon the nuclear program unless they feel safe’.

Responsibility for Colonial Rule

The misfortune of DPRK firstly attributes to Japan which subjugated Korea with colonial rule. Japan must face sincerely to solve all the issues with remorse, not limiting to the so-called abduction problem. The Japanese government was irritated with a dessert served during the dinner of the recent North-South Summit Meeting. That was a shameful approach in diplomacy.

A childish discussion should be ended, a question like, ‘do you trust the North? Let’s congratulate sincerely the historic feat of Panmunjom Declaration. Let’s denounce stupidity that damages the Constitution which prohibits a war and war potential. It will certainly be resonant with the wish of people in the Korean Peninsula.

May 8, 2018