US-North Korea deal

GOING by the agreement concluded with the United States, North Korea’s new leader is seemingly keen to pull his country out of decades of isolation and the resul-tant economic misery. Brokered by Beijing, the accord is intended to roll back Pyongyang’s nuclear programme, help lift American sanctions and pave the way for 240,000 tonnes of food supply by Washington. Educated in Switzerland, Kim Jong-un, who became North Korea’s leader after the death of his father, Jong-il, in December, had aroused hopes that he could make a departure from the past and give some sense to his country’s policies. Termed a breakthrough, Wednesday’s agreement has the potential to remove international concerns about Pyongyang’s nuclear programme and reduce the perpetual political and military tensions on the Korean peninsula. Under the agreement, Pyongyang will allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor its pledge to roll back its nuclear programme.

The deal with America could help North Korea in many sectors. The country has suffered food shortages since the 1990s, and its energy needs for legitimate purposes have gone abegging because of the leadership’s obsession with nuclear weapons. Under the agreement, the US will provide light-water reactors which, while providing power for civilian needs, are difficult to use for military purposes. The idea to improve relations with America had been conceived by the late Jong-il but was put on hold. His son now seems keen to follow the programme and perhaps open a new chapter in relations with the world. Most totalitarian countries ‘opened up’ long ago, and from that point of view North Korea’s continued isolation is a great anomaly. It remains to be seen whether President Jong-un will follow this deal by taking other steps to ‘open up’ his country and bring it in the international mainstream.