SEOUL -- The message conveyed in a newspaper interview was crystal clear: "The North Koreans are missing an opportunity to play a responsible role by not joining us," said Thomas Hubbard, the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. "We'd like to see North Korea join in international concrete actions to stamp out terrorism." The North Koreans have not been as forthcoming in the antiterrorism campaign as Washington would like.
While Pyongyang has repeatedly expressed a rejection of terrorism following the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, it has left no doubt that it opposes the military strikes in Afghanistan. "Extending the military action to other countries allegedly to eradicate the root cause of terrorism is contrary to the purpose of the antiterrorist struggle and may cause grave consequences," a commentary in the party newspaper Rodong Shinmun stated.
What do the Americans expect of North Korea? An answer was given by Jack Prichard, Washington's special envoy, who asked Pyongyang to share intelligence regarding terrorist networks -- in line with what the U.S. has asked of Libya, Sudan or Syria. Those "rogue" states, however, seem more cooperative than North Korea. According to media reports, a senior official of the Central Intelligence Agency recently visited Damascus for meetings with Syrian intelligence officers, signaling a significant shift in relations between the countries. Such an exchange between Washington and Pyongyang would be tantamount to a diplomatic revolution.