Friday, April 25 President Barack Obama landed on Osan Airbase, Republic of Korea. This event was carried out in accordance with the president’s current “Asia Trip Spring 2014” schedule. During the reception ceremony at the Blue House, President Obama presented a sapling of a magnolia tree and the Stars and Stripes to the president Park Geun-hye. Both the sapling and the flag came directly from the White House and were a gift of condolence for the Sae-wol Ferry accident which took place just one week ago in South Korea.
The trip to South Korea occured without any trouble until North Korea presented two troublesome signals: They tested another nuclear weapon and revealed a detained American citizen in North Korea. On the same day, April 25, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s state sponsored news channel, announced that the North Koreans are holding an American citizen who crossed the border on April 10. According to KCNA, this American man entered North Korea on a tourist visa. CNN reported that once he entered the country, he tore his tourist visa and shouted that “he would seek asylum” and “came to the North Korea after choosing it as a shelter.”
In addition to this suspicious announcement by North Korea, President Obama and the rest of the United States were made aware of news regarding another possible nuclear weapons test. According to CNN, South Korea detected definite signs of North Korea’s nuclear test. Many intelligence satellites verified the fact that North Korea has completed all of the preliminary steps required to conduct a nuclear test. According to the South Korean official, they have seven to 14 days to conduct a test and it is very likely that they are going to proceed with the test since their nuclear test site, Punggye-ri, finished all of the preliminary measures.
The United States and other influential countries in the international community have been urging North Korea to halt the nuclear program, and handed out official announcements that a further nuclear test will deliver no benefit to North Korea, but only isolate the country from the international community. However, in the pivotal moment when the president of the United States landed in South Korea, North Korea announced that they are holding an American hostage and also conducted preliminary measures for a nuclear weapons test. Furthermore, various attempts by the United States in saving Kenneth Bae, an American Christian missionary who is currently serving 15 years in North Korean labor camp for allegedly planning to topple the government, achieved nothing. What do these tell us?
Clearly, North Korea is trying to embarrass President Obama. Regardless of the sanctions and condemnations from the international community, North Korea still carried out its radical maneuvers. Most importantly, they chose April 25, the day that President Obama visited South Korea, to announce the existence of an American hostage, despite the individual being taken into custody April 10.
Maybe, the American hostage did not even mention anything about “asylum” or a “shelter.” Maybe he does not even exist. However, North Korea successfully succeeded in drawing the attention of the world once again while they had President Obama in range of their missiles. With this, President Obama came under scrutiny of the media and the world’s watch. The North Korean problem has always been on the “to-do-list” of previous presidents of the United States and it is now President Obama’s time to act. How will he respond to the challenges of North Korea?
What is your take on Korean-American relations? Do you agree that North Korea is simply seeking international attention by engaging in these internationally frowned upon actions? Please send all your feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
