The ball is now in South Korea's court
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Did the joint military drill between the US and South Korea, which concluded Wednesday, make South Korea any more secure? Few South Koreans would probably think so given that the factors leading to the tension on the Korean Peninsula remains the same, and the situation probably has been enlarged by the military exercises.
The US, South Korea and Japan, are hoping that a louder and clearer warning will press the North Korea to behave, and thus a security framework dominated by the US-South Korean alliance would be established.
But the "deterrent in exchange for peace" solution has never brought stability to the region. Now it has come to a dangerous breaking point. South Korea recently warned that Seoul would respond vehemently to further provocation from the North and the North would pay a hefty price for it.
But is that what Seoul wants? If not, South Korea should work with China to solve the root of the problem.
Seoul is not satisfied with China's conciliation. The impartial attitude of China was deemed by South Korea as siding with the North. South Korea obviously feels China should condemn the North.
But this stance is not fair. Besides the two Koreas, China is most likely subject to the damage of the peninsula crisis. China has the same interest in regional stability as South Korea. Its national interest forces China to seek a solution that facilitates rapport between the two Koreas.
Intimidation and military exercises will do no good on the peninsula. South Korea should listen to China and be patient.
The Cold War ended 20 years ago. Northeast Asian countries have formed close economic ties except for North Korea. But the US, South Korea and Japan are still dealing with Pyongyang with an old Cold War mentality. The fact is clear that it does not help in safeguarding peace on the Korean Peninsula, nor it can guarantee security for the South.
Not directly neighboring the Korean Peninsula, the US and Japan have little imperative to change the Cold War framework in the region, but South Korea does.
China has proposed to realize regional peace through non-intimidation.
Seeking a new solution through a joint effort is better than repeating the same old failures.
