Just when Kim Jong Il, the North Korean dictator, had evidently embarked on one of his occasional charm offensives — releasing hostages (two Americans and five South Koreans), sending envoys to the South for former President Kim Dae Jung's funeral, and reopening some traffic across the Demilitarized Zone that divides the continent — he has also reminded the world that getting North Korea to get rid of its nuclear program will be as difficult as ever. On Sept. 4, Pyongyang, via its state-run news agency, noted matter-of-factly that it was in the "last phase" of its uranium-enrichment program. It also added that it was open to "either sanctions or dialogue."
Read Full Article »