Others could be drawn into North Korea-Malaysia spat

UK paper warns that the US, China, South Korea and other countries could be sucked into the growing tension between Malaysia and North Korea.

PETALING JAYA: Spiralling diplomatic relations between Malaysia and North Korea following the murder of Kim Jong Nam may speed up the militarisation of an international conflict, UK paper The Guardian said today.

Although the row over the murder of Jong Nam has so far largely been contained between Malaysia and North Korea, the report warned that other countries such as the US, China and South Korea were likely to be sucked in.

While western countries, particularly the US and Britain, believed that diplomacy, limited sanctions, containment and incentives were the best way to handle North Korea, The Guardian said such hope had proven false after the ascension of the regime’s current leader, Kim Jong Un.

Since replacing his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011, Jong Un expanded the communist state’s nuclear arsenal despite warnings from the United Nations.

According to a BBC report on Jan 6, North Korea said it had conducted five successful nuclear tests since 2006 with a steady increase in the yield of the bombs.

The most recent test in September 2016 indicated an explosive yield of between 10 and 30 kilotonnes, the BBC said. If confirmed, the report said, this would make it North Korea’s strongest nuclear test ever.

On Monday, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan’s northwest coast, some of which Japanese authorities said landed as close as 300km from the coastline.

The move triggered an international outcry as well as strong condemnation from the United Nations, which is due for a closed-door briefing on the missile launches today.

Meanwhile in a retaliatory move, the US yesterday began deploying its advanced anti-missile defence system in South Korea, according to a report by Reuters. This was despite opposition from China and Russia.

Reuters added that the move by the US military would likely deepen the brewing conflict between South Korea and China, which says the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) deployment destroys the regional security balance.

However, the US’ act corresponds with The Guardian’s observation that the country is increasingly leaning on military solutions in its relationship with North Korea.

The communist regime, meanwhile, has hit out at the recent joint US-South Korea military exercises as evidence that Washington is planning to invade.

In a report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Jong Un ordered the Korean People’s Army Strategic Force “to keep highly alert as required by the grim situation in which an actual war may break out anytime”.

The report, carried on March 7, added that the army should “get fully ready to promptly move, take positions and strike so that it can open fire to annihilate the enemies once the Party Central Committee issues an order”.

China’s state-run Global Times meanwhile warned yesterday of the growing prospect of war on the Korean peninsula.

“If the parties dismiss China’s advice and refuse to make efforts to reduce tensions, they can only blame themselves for the huge losses they will suffer in the end,” it was quoted as saying.

Until recently, North Korea and Malaysia enjoyed cordial ties. Those ties rapidly unravelled following the murder of Jong Nam, Jong Un’s half-brother.

Jong Nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) in Sepang on Feb 13. He was awaiting a flight to Macau when he was attacked by two women who wiped his face with what has since been identified as the highly toxic VX nerve agent, classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN.

Angry exchanges between Malaysia and North Korea escalated yesterday into a temporary ban on all Malaysians leaving North Korea.

Malaysia responded in kind by barring North Koreans in the country from leaving. -FMT