Korean tensions -- Part 1

MOSCOW, April 2 (UPI) -- On March 28 North Korea launched three anti-ship missiles with a range of 27 miles during war games in the Yellow Sea. This caused a stir in the world media since North Korea has some nuclear weapons.

Missiles with such a range do not carry nuclear weapons, but this report has triggered numerous comments. To some extent, this was the purpose of the missile launches.

The global community is weary of the procrastinated six-way process of North Korea's disarmament, in which Russia is taking part. This process is gradually dying out and may never reach its goal. In this situation Pyongyang has several methods of drawing attention to itself. In 2006 it staged an underground nuclear test and stirred up the negotiating process for two years.

Now North Korea may decide to act in the same vein -- missiles may be followed by another nuclear test, if need be, and this would not come as a surprise.

Let's see what preceded the recent launches, which were nothing special -- the previous launches took place nine months ago -- but sent an obvious warning that Pyongyang is not talking to the wind.

Diplomats from Russia, the United States, China, North Korea, South Korea and Japan have conducted the talks for almost six years. The last stalemate was created by the U.S. demand that North Korea disclose its secret uranium-enrichment program, the existence of which was denied by Pyongyang. The United States also insists on proof that North Korea has not transferred its nuclear technologies to Syria.

On the day when the missiles were launched, the North Korean Foreign Ministry warned the United States that if it does not give up its demands, Pyongyang may stop the decommissioning of a nuclear reactor that produced weapon-grade plutonium.

During all the talks, an official spokesman for North Korea denied the existence of secret uranium programs and the transfer of technologies abroad. But the United States does not believe these statements and is refusing to remove North Korea from the list of countries supporting terrorism and cancel economic sanctions against it.

In this situation, Pyongyang is simply refusing to believe that Washington is not an enemy and to curtail its nuclear programs.

For the last 10 years South Korea's Liberal Democrats pursued the Sunshine Policy of engagement to promote reconciliation with North Korea. But now the conservative President Lee Myung-bak, who won the elections in December 2007, has declared that from now on South Korea will give up cooperating with its northern neighbor until the nuclear problem is resolved.

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(Ivan Zakharchenko is a foreign news commentator for RIA Novosti. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

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(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)