South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun is probably making Kim Myong-chol, the “unofficial spokesman of Kim Jong-il and North Korea,” nervous about his position. First he defends North Korea’s decision to go nuclear:

President Roh had a press conference with members of the Internet media to celebrate the fourth anniversary of his inauguration. This day he said, “The North is developing nuclear weapons in order to prevent other countries from threatening the North. It is very hard to think that the North’s nuclear weapons are made to attack others first”

President Roh’s remark shows that the president thinks the nuclear weapons of North Korea as a “means of negotiations.” This also shows the president is taking the nuclear weapons issue in an easygoing way. It is certain that there will be controversy over the president’s remarks. (emphasis added)

And continues in Rodong Shinmun fashion that North Korea is going to “reform” and “open its doors.”

“I believe that North Korea will make reforms and open its doors,” he said. “That is the only way, if the North Korean leaders are sane.”

Mr. Roh said that Pyongyang made nuclear weapons because “there are people who scheme for the collapse of the regime without knowing that North Korea will make reforms and [adopt] open-door policies.”

The president said that Seoul has “given consistent signals” to Pyongyang, whereas Washington has been “inconsistent.”

When someone in the audience criticized his soft stance on Pyongyang, Mr. Roh replied, “It’s okay to be generous to North Korea.” He continued, “North Koreans would be lunatics to make a preemptive strike with their nuclear weapon.”

I would agree that South Korea has consistently bent over and kept ‘em spread for North Korea, no doubt about that.

In reality, no, North Korea will not and cannot “reform” or “open its doors.” The reason is fairly simply; the cult of personality originally begun to secure power for Kim Il-sung now holds the regime hostage to outside information. To open up is to commit suicide as sure as starting a second Korean War.

There is also a bit of circular logic (the same that the DPRK itself uses) in Roh’s defense of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal; North Korea needs the nukes to, “prevent other countries from threatening the North,” but if the North wasn’t pursuing nukes in the first place, there would be no threat to defend against. Rosy relations from 1999 until October 2002 prove that. But to create the situations it reacts to is a common North Korean negotiating feature.

As disappointed as I’ve been with the majority of South Koreans when it comes to North Korea, at least Roh’s approval ratings are in the low teens or single digits.