N. Korean leader’s provocative words against the U.S.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made a threat against the U.S., saying “North Korea is not willing to sit face to face with crazy dogs. The worst disaster that the history has never known will be inflicted to the main land of the U.S., the base of all evils.” This unprecedented comment came as the communist regime’s supreme leader was commanding a drill to attack the U.S. aircraft carrier with fighters and submarine fleets. The South Korean government must neither take such strong words and behaviors by the North Korean supreme leader lightly, nor dismiss it as an action for consolidation of the regime. As there is a possibility that the North and U.S. relations, which has been spiraling into "the strong versus the strong" situation, can develop into an accidental military engagement, the South Korean military must tighten its alert threshold.

The North’s provocative action is seen a backlash against the strict sanctions imposed by the U.S. The U.S. President Barack Obama said in a press conference on YouTube, “Over time, you will see the (brutal and oppressive) North Korean regime collapse.” Obama remained cautious about a possible military solution to issues related to North Korea, concerning the U.S. ally South Korea would be severely affected if a war breaks out in the Korean Peninsula. But Obama made it clear that the nation will mount pressures on the communist regime. The U.S. has already turned down an offer from the North to suspend nuclear tests if the U.S. stops the ROK-U.S. joint military exercise. Of course, such violent and provocative words may be out of intention to induce conciliatory measures by expressing Kim’s dissatisfaction against the U.S. in a maximized way. Even though the North is armed with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, the communist regime is not a fool who does not know a frontal coalition with the U.S. would bring about self-destruction.

However, there is also likelihood that the North aggressively reacts and intensifies provocations including the fourth nuclear tests before or after the Key Resolve joint military exercise, just as it did in the last spring. China has reportedly resumed assistance of aircraft fuel to the North, which was suspended after execution of Kim Jong Un’s uncle Jang Song Taek in 2013, and provided 80,000 tons of gasoline at the end of last year. Russia is also reported to conduct a joint military drill with North Korea this year.

It is concerning that such changes may fuel the North Korea’s risk-taking stance. The South Korean government offered to “hold a high-level talks between the two authorities” under the name of the Presidential Committee for Unification Preparation at the end of 2013. However, the deadline in January for the answer has passed without response from the North. In such situations, it is pragmatically beneficial for the South Korean government to closely collaborate with the U.S. on how to approach the North Korea and the speed, not to make dissonance with the U.S. Above all, the South Korean government must re-establish order in the military, which has been causing concerns to the public due to lax disciplines, to avoid revealing its weak points to the enemy. Dreaming ‘Jackpot by unification’ can be achieved based on strong national defense.