U.S. Plays Down South Korean Refusal to Join PSI

The Bush administration yesterday registered little public response to South Korea’s decision not to join a program that could ultimately result in boarding of North Korean cargo vessels, the Yonhap News Agency reported (see GSN, Nov. 13).

Seoul said yesterday it would not join the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative, an effort to interdict any shipments of weapons of mass destruction or WMD-related material.  South Korean officials cited the country’s complicated relationship with North Korea as impetus against being more than an observer to the effort.

White House spokesman Tony Snow yesterday noted that South Korea has already taken action against the North Korea following Pyongyang’s missile tests in July and its Oct. 9 nuclear test.

“As you’ve probably noticed, they have taken some steps that they have never taken before with regard to North Korea,” Snow said.

“Should (South) Korea see its way clear to at some point participate in PSI in a more formal manner, then we would welcome that,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

Michael Green, former Asia director at the National Security Council, questioned Seoul’s decision but said he was not surprised.

“The other parties are all putting sticks on the table in addition to carrots, but by not (being) willing to put sticks on the table, (South Korea) doesn’t come to this discussion with a sufficient tool kit to shape the process and lead in the international effort to peacefully end the North Korean nuclear weapons program,” Green told Yonhap.

South Korea’s decision might leave it isolated as the international community tries to deal with North Korea, but it would not affect either the efficacy of that response or the Proliferation Security Initiative, he said.  “I just think it’s unfortunate from the perspective of increasing South Korea’s influence and role in the diplomacy,” he said.

The White House probably expected the South Korean decision, said David Straub, former head of the State Department’s Korea Desk.

“I don’t think that the Bush administration was very surprised by South Korea’s position,” he said.

More importantly, Seoul’s decision is indicative of a lack of overall understanding between South Korea and the United States in dealing with the nuclear standoff, Straub said (Lee Dong-min/Yonhap News Agency, Nov. 14).

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