North Korea and US policies for the Northeast Asia region

Comments on Scott Snyder “What’s driving Pyongyang?” 11/07/2009, http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/07/11/whats-driving-pyongyang/

I agree that a positive vision for the future of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia that would clarify US expectations and intentions toward the region is extremely important not only to the North Korea nuclear and missiles issues in the short to media term, but also for the long term regional security and stability.

Ultimately, any products of cold war era should be and need to be dismantled. They include US troops in South Korea, for example.

The US president commented on Russia Prime Minister’s possible outdated thinking in terms of cold war era. The US needs to set the example in doing so and also needs to rid of cold war era thinking and doing. Otherwise, the president would not look credible when asking others to move away from cold war thinking.

The world has changed. So both former cold war foes need to change. This is especially the case for the US, given that the former USSR has long collapsed.

It seems a permanent solution to the Korea peninsular security and stability may need a collective security guarantee of the two Koreas security, and leave the door open for an eventual unification of the Koreas on their own terms, with no external pressures.

If a collective security guarantee is worked out, then there will not be any need for the US troops to stay in South Korea, because otherwise it would send wrong messages to the region and will not be in the interests of the region.

North Korea is smaller than the South in both the economy and population. If security is guaranteed, the North should reduce its military forces. That will eliminate the needs for the stay of US troops in the peninsular. One would ask what the purpose of their stay would be for.