Former U.S. envoy warns of peril of snubbing North

JEJU -- An era of reconciliation has begun in Korea, and the United States must become a contributor to its unfolding or face consequences of anti-Americanism and loss of influence, Donald Gregg, a former U.S. ambassador in Korea, said Friday. "The Pyeongyang summit [in 2000] started an era of reconciliation that can never be turned back," Mr. Gregg said. "The Koreans in the North and South want it. Russia wants it. China wants it. Japan wants it. I can think of no better way to cut our influence in the region than for the United States to stand in the way of this process because of our concern over weapons of mass destruction."

Mr. Gregg was addressing the second annual Jeju Peace Forum, which brought together scholars and government officials around the theme of "Rethinking and Reengineering Peace in the 21st Century."

Peace on the Korean Peninsula was the forum's central focus, but many of the speakers placed the issue in a broader context, particularly noting how global peace and security issues had changed after the terror of Sept. 11.

William Perry, who served as defense secretary in the administration of President Bill Clinton, discussed the changed security agenda of the Bush administration, including ousting the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, breaking up the worldwide Quaida network, refocusing U.S. intelligence agencies, developing cooperative relationships with Russia and China, combating nuclear and missile proliferation and organizing homeland defense.

Mr. Gregg, in his remarks, noted that with all President Bush has to do, he needs no more enemies. He said that was the message he took to Pyeongyang on a private visit last week.

Lim Dong-won said he took a similar message when he met Kim Jong-il in Pyeongyang last week as a special envoy of President Kim Dae-jung. He carried a letter from the president and disclosed some of its contents to the forum. In the "frank and candid letter," Mr. Lim said, the president "first of all emphasized that Chairman Kim must accept and understand that the global strategy of the United States has fundamentally changed. He went on to point out that when diplomatic efforts at nonproliferation fail, then the United States is prepared to resort to military means of counterproliferation and that Chairman Kim must fully and clearly understand that North Korea is also included in the possible targets for such military efforts by the United States.

But this situation also presents opportunities for the North, the letter emphasized, according to Mr. Lim.

"President Kim also suggested that it is now time for the North Koreans to stop clinging to the past and to explore new ways to talk effectively and deal with the current U.S. administration. President Kim argued that North Korea should deal with the Bush administration and receive what it needs and also give what the other wants, which would essentially be in the interests of both parties," he said, adding that Kim Jong-il "clearly understood the extreme gravity of the current situation?nd made it clear that he will pursue dialogue with the United States."

Mr. Gregg did not meet Kim Jong-il, but said his interlocutors showed a similar readiness to talk to the United states, although he noted that feelings in Pyeongyang are still bruised over the regime's inclusion in an "axis of evil" and other harsh remarks by President Bush.

"We scare them," he said. But he said he knew Mr. Kim to be well informed and "a fascinating character."

"He logs onto the Internet every day," Mr. Gregg said.

The challenge to Mr. Kim, he continued, is managing North Korea's transformation. Mr. Kim's father, Kim Il Sung, was deeply shocked in 1989 when his close friend, Nicolae Ceausescu, president of Romania, was murdered by a mob of his countrymen. That event continues to prey on the younger Mr. Kim's mind, Mr. Gregg said.

After the seminar, Mr. Lim told the JoongAng Ilbo that the North had also asked Seoul to provide electricity to Hwanghae province, in southwestern North Korea. Mr. Lim said he temporized, noting the technical barriers to sending electricity north.

by Hal Piper