In a rare commentary that explicitly calls on North Korea to change course, Chinese state-run media urged Pyongyang Wednesday to abandon its nuclear weapons program to help rebuild its moribund economy and diplomatically engage with the international community.
The Beijing News daily newspaper, run by the Beijing city government, also pointed out that North Korea should break its long-standing tactical pattern of seeking economic and other concessions through provocations, citing Tuesday’s violation of a de facto inter-Korean sea border by a North Korean patrol boat that sparked an exchange of warning shots between the two Koreas.
“Since North Korea conducted its third nuclear test last year, the international community has been no longer willing to compromise and demands North Korea abandon its nuclear program,” the commentary said.
“On many occasions, Chinese leaders have stressed the pledge toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” it said.
“Therefore, North Korea must abandon its nuclear program.”
China has signaled its growing frustration over North Korea’s nuclear ambition since it agreed to tighten U.N. sanctions after the North’s third nuclear test in February last year, although it remains unclear how much influence Beijing has with Pyongyang.
North Korea wants an unconditional resumption of the six-party talks, which bring together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S., and have been deadlocked since late 2008.
South Korea and the United States demand that Pyongyang first take concrete steps toward its denuclearization commitment. (Yonhap)
