North's real intention
Mangyongbong-92's arrival may send wrong signal
A North Korean art troupe arrived at a South Korean port Tuesday aboard the Mangyongbong-92 cruise ship. The aim of its trip is to give two performances ― first in the eastern port city of Gangneung, Thursday and last in Seoul, Sunday. The performances are part of the North's efforts to take part in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics slated for Feb. 9 to 25.
Despite its welcome move to celebrate the opening of the Olympics, the troupe's arrival via the North Korean ship is raising a question: What is Pyongyang's real intention? Many South Koreans, particularly conservatives, are skeptical of Mangyongbong-92's call to Mukho Port, just south of Gangneung, where short-track, speed skating, figure skating and ice hockey games are to be held.
All North Korean vessels are banned from visiting South Korea under Seoul's independent embargo and international sanctions against Pyongyang. The previous conservative Lee Myung-bak administration enforced the ban May 24, 2010, in retaliation over the North's torpedo attack on the South's Cheonan warship in the West Sea in March that year. In this regard, it is natural for Mangyongbong-92's visit to spark debate on whether it violates the sanctions.
The liberal Moon Jae-in government explained it has exceptionally allowed Mangyongbong-92's arrival in a bid to make the Winter Games a success and a "Peace Olympics" as well. It also said Seoul had close consultations with Washington on the matter. Of course, it was inevitable for Seoul to make an exception for the ship to avoid the sanctions.
However, there are still some suspicions regarding the North's decision-making process about the use of the ship. Earlier, Pyongyang informed Seoul of its decision to send the troupe by crossing into the truce village of Panmunjeom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). But later, it changed the decision and said the troupe would take a railway linking the two Koreas. Finally it unilaterally notified Seoul it would mobilize the Mangyongbong-92. The reason is the 9,700-ton vessel can accommodate 140 musicians and performers without using a hotel in the South.
The problem is not whether the reason is convincing. Rather it is more to do with how Pyongyang has so far behaved over its participation in the Games. The North appeared to have taken the initiative and dictated the terms of their presence in the sporting event. This may have prompted the U.S. to send Vice President Mike Pence to counter the North's efforts to "hijack" the Olympics with a propaganda campaign.
It will not take long for the North to prove its true intention. We hope the northern delegation headed by Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, will show its sincerity not only in the Olympic movement, but also in inter-Korean rapprochement. Most of all, Pyongyang should accept international calls to take the path toward denuclearization.
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