Moot occasion to celebrate
(From The Japan Times Sept. 13 issue)

北朝鮮建国60周年

North Korea celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding Sept. 8. In its editorial, Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, called on North Koreans to remain united around leader Kim Jong Il and to strengthen the armed forces, which it described as "the foundation of a strong nation." It also said North Korea has nothing to fear after overcoming its worst trials.

The strong tone of the newspaper notwithstanding, Mr. Kim's conspicuous absence from the festivities symbolizes the unfavorable situation in which the North finds itself. Its leadership should realize that only by acting harmoniously with the international community can North Korea raise its international standing and improve the well-being of its people. At this stage, the most important thing the North should do is sincerely push the process of denuclearizing itself.

North Korea's food supply is more than 1 million tons short every year and it must rely on assistance from abroad to feed its 23 million people. In fact, the World Food Program said the food situation in North Korea has worsened this year because of floods in 2007. Although North Korea was economically superior to South Korea until the mid-1960s, its economy has since lagged far behind the South's because of mismanagement under its one-party rule and natural disasters.

The anniversary came amid reports that the North has started reversing the process to disable its Yongbyon nuclear facilities and after it told Japan that it would not launch a committee to reinvestigate the abduction of Japanese. Japan has promised to lift bans on chartered flights and visits by North Korean officials to Japan simultaneously with the North's launch of the reinvestigation. The North's decision cannot be justified.

Pyongyang should realize that if it fails to disable its nuclear facilities and agree on a method for verifying its declaration of nuclear programs, Washington will not remove it from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

建国60周年を迎えた北朝鮮の労働新聞は社説で、金正日総書記のもとでの団結と国家の基礎となる軍事強化を呼びかけ、最悪の試練をすべて克服した北朝鮮に怖いものはないと述べた。

強い語調とは裏腹に、祭典での金総書記の不在は北朝鮮の好ましくない状況を象徴する。国際的立場を高め、国民の生活を向上させるには国際社会と協調するしかないことを指導部が認識し、早急に非核化を進めるべきだ。

年100万トンの食糧不足で海外援助に頼る北朝鮮は昨年洪水に見舞われ、経済は一党独裁と天災の影響で韓国に大きく遅れをとっている。

60周年は、拉致問題再調査延期、寧辺の核施設復旧の報道の中で迎えられたが、これら2つの政治決断は許されざるものだ。