North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expressed regret about his country’s nuclear test to a Chinese delegation and said Pyongyang would return to international nuclear talks if Washington backs off a campaign to financially isolate the country, a South Korean newspaper reported Friday.
“If the U.S. makes a concession to some degree, we will also make a concession to some degree, whether it be bilateral talks or six-party talks,” Kim was quoted as telling a Chinese envoy, the mass- circulation Chosun Ilbo reported, citing a diplomatic source in China.
Kim told the Chinese delegation that “he is sorry about the nuclear test,” the newspaper reported.
It looks like th sum total of our North Korea policy is to hope China gets fed up and puts pressure on Kim Jong Il.
Bombadil
If only Clinton had done that, none of this would be an issue now.
Steve
Well, certainly we won’t be making any concessions. We don’t negotiate with evil, you see.
The Other Steve
He admitted he was sorry.
That’s enough to sue him in small claims court.
ThymeZone
Like I said to that other thread …. crazy head of state backs off.
Why can’t we get a leader like that?
With a better haircut and some respectable suits, Kim Jong Il would make a decent replacement for GWB. At least he has a smaller ego.
Echtheow the Geat
He also has the backing of Alec Baldwin and FAG. That should count for something.
I also admire his boastfulness and willingness to enslave his people and place millions of lives at risk for the sake of personal glory. Such a ruler commands respect and obedience.
fwiffo
What’s his gambit here? He detonates a nuke to demonstrate the verility of his Napoleon complex, then tucks his ears and begs forgiveness? Was he somehow surprised by the world’s 100% predictable reaction? What a strange little man.
ThymeZone
The same way I feel about our leader.
John D.
If we’re the world’s policemen, we’re spending waaaaaay too much time on our asses at Dunkin’ Donuts.
My belief is that he did it to get America’s attention. He got China’s, instead. Far, far, far more personally terrifying for him. Alternatively, the fizzle was his one shot and it failed, so he’s now in the precarious position of a nuclear power with no nukes.
ThymeZone
And then there was all the time it took them to scrape the coatings off those luminous watch dials.
Pb
This was my take on it at Daily Kos, trying to explain to some people who apparently didn’t get it at all:
Now, the interesting thing to note about that campaign? It started before North Korea tested their bomb. No, really. In fact, that’s arguably why North Korea tested it in the first place–to show that they weren’t making empty threats, in an attempt to get the United States to take them seriously. I believe that’s also why bilateral talks would work better, and why we aren’t participating in them. As Newsweek said:
Don’t buy into the spin, people. This is failing because there are people in our administration who want it to fail. It’s not because Kim Jong-Il is ‘crazy’. You’d think that after Iraq, this would look familiar. Was Saddam Hussein ‘crazy’ too? Was he the one that was acting crazy? Did you believe that line then? Why would you believe it again now?
stickler
Well, we’ve outsourced our state finances and our manufacturing industry to the Chinese already. Why not our foreign policy, too?
ThymeZone
Good question. These guys are certainly pathological … a guy who kills his political enemies in order to maintain control of a racket that lets him literally fill bunkers with millions in cash …. has to be crazy like a fox. Has to be always maneuvering through shark-infested waters.
In that sense, they are focussed on their own interests like a laser. And they won’t do irrational things, because their eye is on the prize. In Saddam’s case, it was the oil money. In Kim’s case … whatever it is. Good Korean food, maybe, I don’t know. Whatever steams his noodle.
Pb
Daffy Duck cartoons. Maybe that’s how he got the reputation?
Perry Como
Our Glorious President would never engage in such a cowardly act. That’s why President Bush took decisive action years ago and bombed the North Korean nuclear facilities.
Pb
Well of course he did, Kim Jong Il was going to be the next Hitler, after all. Or the next next Hitler. Fortunately we caught the previous Hitler, even though the Hitler before him got away.
Perry Como
The Boys from Brazil was actually a documentary.
Pb
How about They Saved Hitler’s Brain?
Tsulagi
Don’t bitch. That’s a good thing. Do you really want The Decider actively involved?
Jay C
Well, it looks like it worked, didn’t it?
fwiffo
The administration’s desire for failure, and Kim Jong Il’s marble shortage are not mutually exclusive concepts. I don’t mean to say that in the sense that he’s necessarily an irrational actor, but simply that he’s a few bats short of a belfry.
Echtheow the Geat
The joke’s on you. There’s no such thing. Have you ever heard of kimchi?
Perry Como
Heard of it? Hell, there’s a jar in my fridge. Errr, does my love of kimchi make me a North Korea supporter?
Perry Como
I do have to say that President is doing a wonderful job on confronting North Korea after the nuclear test. The US is now tracking a North Korean ship and if it pulls into the port of a country friendly to the US, the President will ask that country to search the ship.
Strong. Smart.
jg
This guy obviously wants some attention. Anyone read ‘The Mouse that Roared’?
Perry Como
Darrell has a blog?
ThymeZone
No, but a great classic Peter Sellers movie.
Tulkinghorn
I hate to support W., but that is the only policy that will ever work. It looks like we fell into this position by good fortune, rather than setting it up with a concerted diplomatic effort, but I like the result.
BlogReeder
I agree with Tulkinghorn.
The only reason I see that NK wants bilateral negotiations with the US is to get more goodies. It won’t get nearly as many with 6 party talks. We were the carrot but now China is the stick.
John D.
Well, stopping and searching a foreign-flagged ship in international waters is usually considered an act of war or piracy, so I’m not sure what else we can do at this point.
Steve
This is a good reason not to have bilateral talks in the first place?
Bilateral, last I checked, means it’s only the two of us. Couldn’t we just, like, refuse to give them the extra goodies? Do they have some kind of mind control powers?
In any sort of diplomacy the other side is going to want something. Your job is to ensure that only a good deal is struck, not to live in a fantasyland where we never have to give an inch to anyone.
China Law Blog
NK seems to have an amazing ability to anger absolutely everyone.
Echtheow the Geat
I find honor and nobility in their threats and willingness to kill all who oppose them.
This Kim Jong-Il is a fine warrior. Would that I might join him in his mead-hall, accepting fine trinkets and rings of gold in exchange for my fealty unto my courageous demise!