Japan, South Korea Say No Aid For North Without Action On Nuclear Issue

Japanese PM Yukio Hatoyama (L) and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (R) before summit at presidential Blue House in Seoul, 09 Oct 2009Japan's new prime minister and South Korea's president are maintaininga firm joint position on North Korea. At a summit meeting, the twosaid Pyongyang has much to gain by bold action on nuclear weapons, butwill receive nothing if it holds out.  

South Korean PresidentLee Myung-bak welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama Friday atthe presidential Blue House in Seoul. Mr. Lee said the two are inharmony on dealing with North Korea's nuclear weapons.

He saysboth leaders agree on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue withoutrepeating "old patterns" of negotiating. Instead, says President Lee,he and Mr. Hatoyama will discuss a "fundamental, comprehensive way" tosolve the problem with their international partners.

South Koreaand Japan have taken part in a six-nation diplomatic process for thepast six years aimed at getting rid of North Korea's nuclear weapons. China, Russia, and the United States also are involved. Pyongyang hasboycotted the process numerous times, and tested two nuclear weapons.

Mr.Lee describes his proposal as a "grand bargain" for the North. It isseen as an attempt to accelerate the disarmament process by making theNorth's actions bolder, and the rewards for cooperation bigger.

Prime Minister Hatoyama says Japan backs that approach.

Hesays Mr. Lee's grand bargain, a package settlement, is correct. Hesays unless Pyongyang shows willingness to give up its nuclear weapons,the two countries should not provide any aid to the North.

President Lee says he expects North Korea will "carefully consider" the grand bargain.

He says he believes North Korea understands this is, in his words, "the last method we can do."

ManyNorth Korea experts are skeptical about whether Pyongyang will bewilling to accept the grand bargain. Some think North Korea will notend its nuclear programs under any circumstances.  

Others, likeBaek Seung-joo, with the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses here inSeoul, think Pyongyang benefits from the drawn-out six-nation process.

Hesays North Korea wants to extend the six-nation process into as manyphases as possible, so they get something in return for each phase. Hesays the possibility of North Korea given that up that in favor of agrand bargain is very low.

Another question remains - whetherNorth Korea will actually attend six-party talks at all. North Koreanleader Kim Jong Il said this week he "may" return to the six-partytalks, contingent on bilateral meetings with the United States. NorthKorea has often said the nuclear issue is a matter to be handledbetween it and the United States alone. That is a stance the othernations in the talks oppose.