[The Editors' Verdict] Tasks After the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party

[Asia Economy]

[Jo Young-gi, Special Professor at Kookmin University Graduate School of Political Science]

The 8th Congress of the Workers' Party was held in Pyongyang from the 5th to the 12th of last month.

It was a very special political event for Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. This was because it was a political space to consolidate and formalize the power base built over the past 10 years. The key themes Kim Jong-un raised at this party congress were ‘self-reliance’ and ‘completion of the state’s nuclear force.’

He acknowledged that the 5-year national economic development strategy (2016?2020) ended in a disastrous failure due to the triple hardships (sanctions + COVID-19 + natural disasters), but considered the transformation of nuclear capabilities a major achievement.

Particularly, attention must be paid to the report on achievements regarding the miniaturization, standardization, and tactical weaponization of nuclear weapons.

Tactical weaponization means the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons aimed at South Korea. This openly reveals North Korea’s intention to trap South Korea within the noose of a nuclear blast shadow, posing a fatal threat to national security.

In the short term, tactical nuclear weapons serve as a means of threat and coercion against South Korea, and ultimately, there is a very high possibility they will be misused as weapons to complete North Korea-led ‘communization and unification of the Korean Peninsula.’ Despite this situation, the government lacks both the will and strategy to correct the tilted security landscape, which is problematic.

North Korea regards nuclear weapons as the ‘all-powerful sword’ of Juche ideology. Because of this symbolism, it could never be a subject for dialogue and cooperation from the start. Dialogue and negotiations were merely means to secure practical benefits.

Having completed six nuclear tests, North Korea secured a more advantageous position. Therefore, North Korea presented the card of ‘dialogue and cooperation while possessing nuclear weapons.’ The product of this card was the 2018 ‘Panmunjom Declaration’ and ‘Pyongyang Joint Declaration.’ These declarations showed no clues to solving the North Korean nuclear issue but only promised gift packages to North Korea.

Recently, suspicions have been raised that the construction of a nuclear power plant was promised as a gift during the Panmunjom Declaration. These suspicions arose because related materials that could raise doubts appeared during the investigation into the economic feasibility manipulation of Wolsong Unit 1.

Of course, the parties involved deny this, but given the government’s track record on North Korea policy, suspicion is inevitable. If true, this would be an act of treason. A national investigation or special prosecutor should clearly determine the facts.

On the 26th of last month, President Moon Jae-in reportedly agreed to cooperate with Chinese President Xi Jinping on North Korea’s denuclearization. This is merely lip service and a misguided approach aimed at causing a rift in the ROK-US alliance.

China has always taken the lead in creating structural loopholes in sanctions rather than actively participating in North Korea’s denuclearization. China has been confirmed as a country violating the UN Security Council’s sanctions resolutions against North Korea. This means that cooperation with China cannot resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.

The primary partner for cooperation in dismantling North Korea’s nuclear weapons should be the United States. Since President Joe Biden’s inauguration, pressure on China has increased and thorough implementation of sanctions against North Korea has been emphasized, so prioritizing China is a wrong move.

In particular, signs of cracks in the ROK-US alliance have appeared since Biden’s inauguration. These include the government’s complacent attitude in trying to replace joint ROK-US military exercises with computer simulations and rushing the transfer of wartime operational control within the current administration.

Cracks in the ROK-US alliance only benefit General Secretary Kim and increase the threat posed by China. The ROK-US alliance is essential both to escape the shadow of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and to achieve their complete dismantlement. It is also necessary to recognize that North Korea and China are attempting to exploit cracks in the ROK-US alliance. Therefore, the government must change its perception and find a path to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear weapons.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.