The recent US war games on the Korean peninsular were primarily aimed at provoking North Korea into action and Washington seems to have underestimated what could be Pyongyang’s response, Japan-based journalist James Corbett told RT.
Corbett is certain that right now all the parties are more
inclined to negotiations.
RT:The so-called nuclear club is an exclusive group.
There are only seven nations in it. Will North Korea be
allowed to join it?
James Corbett: The question is whether or not anyone has the
right to say if they are allowed to be the part of this exclusive
club. But I think what we have to understand right now is that
North Korea is calling out these other nations on the nuclear
hypocrisy that’s been hard-wired into international relations for a
long time now. If you look at the actual statement that was made,
they said for example that their position is clear, that one
shouldn’t dream of de-nuclearization on the Korean peninsular
before de-nuclearization of the world is realized.
RT:China says in no way will it accept a nuclear armed
Pyongyang. Is that authentic, do you think?
JC: I think what China is doing is trying to defuse the
situation that could spill over into military conflict that would
obviously be disastrous for China’s policies in the region. In the
event the North Korean government is toppled there will be an
incredible influx of refugees to China. China has its own stake in
the game. But I think it really has to be seen as a poke in the eye
at the community that assembled in Seoul last year at the Nuclear
Security Summit to talk about de-nuclearization of the world but
that was of course specifically directed to countries like North
Korea and Iran, which were invited to the summit.
RT:The U.S. has cancelled war games, missile tests all
to cool tension. It doesn't seem to have worked so what's
next?
JC: I think it’s important to put that in the context of the
fact that those war games were taking place in accordance with a
plan that was developed by the Obama administration. It was
reported on by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month called
the Playbook, which was specifically designed to provoke North
Korea in the latest Korean war games simulations, which happen
every year. These war games taking place with B52 and B2 nuclear
capable bombers dropping ammunition on the Korean peninsular and
F22 advanced fighter-jets – it was specifically part of the
provocation to get North Korea to react and perhaps they
miscalculated just how much North Korea would react. In any way
right now what we have is Guam seeing more missile defense, Japan
seeing more missile defense, contractors throughout the region
receiving more money. North Korea is getting at least overtures
from the US and South Korea that they will play more on the
negotiating table and China has so far managed to maintain North
Korea stopping it from tattling. Everyone got what they wanted out
of this latest ploy. So I think from here we could see at least
some sort of attempt at some sort of talks, but how fruitful they
will be is another matter entirely.
RT:China is warning a fourth nuclear bomb test in North
Korea may be imminent. What's the North trying to prove at this
point?
JC: Those promises aren’t worth the paper. We’ve heard this
rhetoric before. So far nothing is materialized so I don’t think we
should believe it until we see it. It should be seen as part of the
game that’s been played and it has succeeded so far in getting the
US and South Korea to at least contemplate talks.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.