West's blind spot: North Korea's growing global threat
Gideon Rachman, the Financial Times' chief foreign affairs commentator, claims the West ignores North Korea's threat at its own peril. He believes the Kim Jong Un regime has significant military potential to impact the situation in Europe and Asia.
Rachman points out that Pyongyang is tightening its cooperation with Moscow, which he considers the most "dramatic" evidence of the existence of a "hostile axis" between Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China. However, he argues that among these countries, North Korea draws the least attention from the West.
The Financial Times quotes experts on the Korean Peninsula who emphasize that Kim Jong Un abandoned efforts to improve relations with the United States several years ago and shifted toward confrontation with Seoul and Washington. In January, experts Robert Carlin and Siegfried Hecker warned that "Kim Jong Un has made a strategic decision to go to war."
In the same month, the North Korean leader announced the abandonment of the long-standing goal of reunification with the South, and in June, he signed a mutual military assistance treaty with Russia. Recently, Pyongyang demolished roads connecting the two Koreas.
The author notes that, despite poverty, North Korea is not backward in every respect. - Poverty in North Korea doesn't mean the regime is backward in every aspect. It rather indicates that Kim prioritizes military development over the well-being of ordinary people - Rachman observes. Despite international isolation, Kim's regime has managed to build nuclear weapons, develop ballistic missile programs, and achieve the capacity to conduct cyber attacks.
North Korea sends soldiers to Ukraine. "Cannon fodder"
The "Financial Times" commentator also refers to reports of North Korean soldiers participating in Russia's war against Ukraine. Although 10,000 soldiers from North Korea won't decide the conflict's outcome, Kim's army numbers 1.3 million soldiers in active service, who could be used by Moscow as "cannon fodder."
According to Rachman, Kim Jong Un could benefit from technology transfers and financial support from Russia. Additionally, he might consider a potential conflict on the Korean Peninsula. - If he supports Russia in a European war, will Russia one day reciprocate in an Asian conflict? – the columnist wonders.
Increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula might also benefit Beijing, complicating U.S. defense of Taiwan in the event of potential Chinese aggression on the island.
Rachman emphasizes that the West may soon face a difficult choice: allow Russia to defeat Ukraine with North Korea's help or significantly increase support for Kyiv. The "Financial Times" notes that the USA, EU, and South Korea have tried to avoid escalation in both Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula, but the situation may require decisive action.
