Thursday, February 02, 2006

Reform and the Reformers

Though not the first time that Kim Jong Il has been to the idustrial mechas of China, this trip is becoming especially interesting, at least for the pundits and news sources. While there are some who think that this is just the same old, same old or that the reforms that China experienced might not even be a possibility for N. Korea, there are those who see a shadow of turning in the old dictators swagger. I would normally trust OFK on this call, but this seems to be a bit different. NK's political situation is perhaps as tenous as it has ever been and then there is this bit of new information:
The return of Jang Song Taek to North Korea's ruling hierarchy indicates the reclusive nation will push for further economic cooperation with South Korea, officials and analysts in Seoul say.
Jang, once a symbol of North Korea's reforms, will be given the job of reviving the country's moribund economy, they say.
Now while I don't echo the enthusiasm or certainty expressed in the article, I do agree that this represents, as the IHT so aptly put it, a Rubicon for KJI, and one that, if crossed, will open up a very interesting chapter for the entire East Asian region - and, hopefully, for human rights.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home