Is North Korea's release of US prisoners more than a propaganda move?
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Version 0 of 1. Two Americans being held by North Korea have finally been freed. Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae were finally brought home by James Clapper, the US Director of National Intelligence, last week. Their ordeal is over and this is welcome news – especially for Bae, who seems to have established a sad new record for an American detained by the North Korean government (he was in detention for two years). What does it mean for North Korea, though? Or more precisely, for Pyongyang’s relations with Washington? To start with, the release of these two men marks a breach with established practice. In 1996 a young American called Evan Hunziker swam across the Yalu river from China after a drunk bet with his friends. He spent a few weeks in comfortable detention and was released when Bill Richardson, then a congressman, visited Pyongyang to apologise for the incident. Since then, Pyongyang has been visited by a number of high level US dignitaries and politicians, including ex-presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. They went there for short visits in order to secure the release of those Americans who were detained there. Some of these people had crossed into the North without the proper documents and were detained while others were involved with various kinds of missionary activities. Thus, a pattern became established. First, an American who does something wrong – in most cases this means an illegal border crossing – is arrested and held in detention for a period of time. A closed trial is soon held in Pyongyang, where the unlikely American in question is given a lengthy prison sentence. After a few rounds of behind-the-scenes negotiations, a high level US delegation is dispatched to bring home the unfortunate individual. Meanwhile, the North Korean official media proceeds to have a field-day and emphasises the fact that the US government has “finally admitted” the wrongdoings of its citizens and surrendered to the might and wisdom of North Korea and its brilliant leader. Things then go quiet again, until some American missionary, journalist or retired soldier takes it upon themselves to do something that the North Korean side could construe as a provocation. Americans are clearly singled out for political purposes It is important, though, that it is largely Americans whose misadventures inside North Korea are treated that harshly. Other westerners have done similar things: for example, an Australian who recently gave away bibles that he smuggled into the country on the streets of Pyongyang (on 16 February, Kim Jong-il’s birthday no less). However, the amateurish missionary was sent home very soon with nobody trying to make a political show out of the entire situation. The drunken escapades of Russian and Chinese tourists are often truly remarkable, but never get a mention and are seldom punished by expulsion. Americans are clearly singled out for political purposes. It seems that the North Korean side is seeking to achieve two goals: first, such shows are good for the standing of the government at home. The public is treated to the sight of American officials who are once again shown to be submitting to the mighty and unbreakable will of North Korea and its omniscient ruler. This reinforces one of the key messages of North Korean propaganda, ie its insistence that the country will always emerge victorious from any diplomatic or military confrontation with the US. At the same time, the visits of high-level US officials to Pyongyang also allow the North Korean government to develop personal connections with people high up in Washington. In most cases, none of these people would otherwise consider talking to the North Korean government for any length of time, let alone going all the way to Pyongyang in person. Propaganda-wise, it was good to have America’s chief spymaster in Pyongyang begging for clemency This time both goals were important, but there seems to be something else going in Pyongyang as well. Propaganda-wise, it was good to have America’s chief spymaster in town begging for clemency. It also reinforces the usual claim that the North Korean side makes; ie that the human rights movement, with whom Miller was allegedly connected, and Christian missionary activities, with which Bae was involved in, are mere fronts for US espionage. Indeed, as many North Korean propagandists now argue: why would America’s top spy come to Pyongyang to rescue people had they not been US spies themselves? However, it seems that the release of the detainees was meant to be a good will gesture. The Choson Sinbo, a newspaper published by pro-Pyongyang group of Koreans in Japan, recently ran an editorial in which they said that Barack Obama cares about his legacy and wants better relations with North Korea, and that he was prepared to admit his wrongdoing. It is interesting that the editorial also expressed thinly veiled worries about the coming US presidential election. Its authors sought to remind readers that earlier attempts to normalise relations between Pyongyang and Washington have never survived US presidential elections. It seems now that the North Koreans are doing everything they can to get US attention, as well as diplomatic and financial concessions. They have become far too close to China for comfort, so they are looking for alternatives – and, somewhat counter-intuitively, the US is one of the options they are considering. After all, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Washington was the major provider of humanitarian aid to North Korea. Pyongyang is looking for alternative allies and, somewhat counter-intuitively, the US is one of the options they are considering Of course, it is nice when North Koreans try to show their good will by releasing unfortunate Americans who have found themselves in the custody of the Supreme Leader. However, there is little doubt Pyongyang has every intention of using other means by which to attract US attention and make the superpower sit down to talks. The latter is not going to be pleasing to Washington – as recent reports of the discovery of another enriched uranium processing facility has reminded us of once again. Andrei Lankov is professor of Korean Studies at Kookmin University in Seoul. His latest book is The Real North Korea: Life and Politics in the Failed Stalinist Utopia |