Should not be a surprise. The north does not want to progress too fast in its charm (or peace offensive). And this reinforces the north's theme that the US is the aggressor and as well as the technique of always finding an excuse for breaking an agreement by blaming others. I think it is going to play this out with the ROK for awhile. And as Korea expert Professor Bruce Bechtol always emphasizes the north Korean pattern for strategic action can be summed up in simplest terms this way:
1. Rhetoric and Brinkmanship
2. Peace Offensive
3. Violent Provocation
4. Denial
5. Back to step 1
The pattern may be delayed temporarily after step 3 if concessions are provided. We are now in step 2.This is a pattern that the North Koreans have followed over time in the Kim Jong-il era – and are likely to do the same under KJU.
I would only add that the north has always been masterful at playing all sides against each other as well.
V/R
Dave
North Korea said Saturday that it had to cancel the planned weekend visit of a special U.S. envoy to the country because of fresh U.S. military provocations.
Robert King, special envoy on North Korean human rights issues, had planned to begin a two-day visit to the communist nation on Friday to secure the release of Kenneth Bae, a 45-year-old Korean-American man serving a prison term there.
North Korea said it had agreed to allow King's visit on humanitarian grounds but the U.S. "ruined" the atmosphere of dialogue by flying B-52H strategic bombers over the Korean Peninsula for nuclear bombing drills.
"The strategic bombers' intrusion into the air over the Korean Peninsula is the most blatant nuclear blackmail against us and a military threat to us," the North's foreign ministry said in an English-language statement carried by the country's Korean Central News Agency.
"The U.S. thus beclouded the hard-won atmosphere of humanitarian dialogue in a moment." it said.
South Korea and the U.S. ended a 12-day joint military drill, called Ulchi Freedom Guardian, on Friday. It was not immediately known whether the U.S. had flown the strategic bombers during the drills.
On Friday, Marie Harf, deputy spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, expressed disappointment over the North's abrupt decision to cancel King's trip, saying that Pyongyang did not provide a clear reason for its decision.
North Korea claimed in the statement that it had clearly explained to the U.S. why it had canceled King's trip but U.S. officials are spreading "misinformation" about its intentions.
"It is something surprising that the U.S. is making irrelevant remarks that it was surprised by our action," the North's statement said.
Robert King, special envoy on North Korean human rights issues, had planned to begin a two-day visit to the communist nation on Friday to secure the release of Kenneth Bae, a 45-year-old Korean-American man serving a prison term there.
North Korea said it had agreed to allow King's visit on humanitarian grounds but the U.S. "ruined" the atmosphere of dialogue by flying B-52H strategic bombers over the Korean Peninsula for nuclear bombing drills.
"The strategic bombers' intrusion into the air over the Korean Peninsula is the most blatant nuclear blackmail against us and a military threat to us," the North's foreign ministry said in an English-language statement carried by the country's Korean Central News Agency.
"The U.S. thus beclouded the hard-won atmosphere of humanitarian dialogue in a moment." it said.
South Korea and the U.S. ended a 12-day joint military drill, called Ulchi Freedom Guardian, on Friday. It was not immediately known whether the U.S. had flown the strategic bombers during the drills.
On Friday, Marie Harf, deputy spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, expressed disappointment over the North's abrupt decision to cancel King's trip, saying that Pyongyang did not provide a clear reason for its decision.
North Korea claimed in the statement that it had clearly explained to the U.S. why it had canceled King's trip but U.S. officials are spreading "misinformation" about its intentions.
"It is something surprising that the U.S. is making irrelevant remarks that it was surprised by our action," the North's statement said.
(Continued at the link below)
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