North Korea — Not a Country to Solve but a Country to Tolerate
Since the development of North Korea’s nuclear weapons, the US and North Korea have sustained unstable relations. Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to listen to David Kang (Director of the USC Korean Studies Institute) discuss the relationship and situation between the US and North Korea throughout the years.
One idea I found particularly interesting during the Q&A session was the lethality of biological weapons and whether they could become a greater concern than North Korea’s nuclear weapons. As biological weapons are still undergoing research, I feel the development and perfection of biological weapons could potentially pose a more serious threat. Mr. Kang, however, believed biological and chemical weapons wouldn’t come close to becoming as dangerous as nuclear weapons. He reasoned that uncontrollable factors such as the environment could significantly decrease the potency of chemical weapons.
While Mr. Kang explored North Korea’s weapons in great depth, he also highlighted the portrayal and stereotypes of North Korea — something highly overlooked from an American perspective. American news has illustrated North Koreans as brainwashed humans who follow a psychotic, spoiled leader with little to no qualifications in leading a country. Mr. Kang breaks these stereotypes as he pointed out that Kim Jong Un has continually demonstrated his power and credibility by having world leaders recognize him and meet with him at the negotiating table. Just last year, Kim Jong Un was able to meet with the presidents of China, South Korea, and the US.
Mr. Kang capped the event off with hints of our relations with North Korea in the future. For too long, we’ve viewed North Korea as a nuclear arsenal problem where we hope to resolve the problem by completely demolish its current government and install one that aligns with our perspective. It’s time we learn to tolerate and compromise.
