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N. Korea swears by "military first policy"

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: North Korea has pledged to carry forward its practice of being governed under the "military first policy."

Pyongyang indicated, through statements in the state media, that primacy for the military in national affairs had already produced dividends such as the development of nuclear weapons as a "deterrent" against the United States.

Having carried out a nuclear-weapon test on October 9, North Korea was now bracing itself for efforts to revive its economy, the statements emphasised.

South Korea's Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said in Seoul on Tuesday "unless we solve the problem of poverty in North Korea, security on the [entire] Korean peninsula will always be in danger."

Mr. Lee said: "Not nuclear weapons or nuclear [arms] programmes but reconciliation and cooperation between South Korea and North Korea will secure peace."

He suggested that the North's poverty could be suitably addressed through "joint development efforts" by the two Koreas. For this, Pyongyang's nuclear arms programme would need to be sorted out, he noted.

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