Talking Korean

It is reported that the two Koreas will not talk the South rejected the North's offer on talks. North Korea called for unconditional and early talks with the South to ease the tensions that have grown between them in the last couple of months after attacks that both sides blame on the other.

North Korea has been in a very difficult position in the last couple of years losing it communist allies after the fall of the Soviet Union, practically their only ally remained China. In the fall of 2010 the Wikileaks incident however brought to light that Chinese officials were thinking about the reunification of the two Koreas after the death of N Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The leak in my opinion put N Korea in an even more difficult position especially since it has been running out of resources namely food and energy supplies. The only thing N Korea can bargain with is its nuclear disarmement, which has been the main subject of six party talks (N Korea, S Korea, China, Russia, USA, Japan) for years and years now.

The resentment of S Korea makes it clear that if the North wants to reach anything it will sooner or later have to give up more of its goals and eventually begin a new diplomatic approach which might lead to a new relationship between the two countries, which also might come at a time of change in N Korea where the leader's son has been raised to a high position, which could be the sign of passing on power.