North Korean leader warns of war: Kim Il-Sung challenges United States, South Korea over nuclear weapons

Current Events, April 4, 1994

PYONGYANG, North Korea--Could it happen all over again?

Forty-four years ago, in 1950, Communist North Korean leader Kim Il-sung started the Korean War by invading non-communist South Korea. Before the war ended in 1953, more than 33,000 U.S. soldiers lost their lives defending South Korea. Now there are new fears that Kim, at age 81, may be planning to invade again--this time using nuclear weapons. And, as before, U.S. soldiers stand ready to help defend South Korea.

Present Crisis

The present crisis has been caused by North Korea's refusal to allow U.N. inspectors to investigate activities at the Yongbyon nuclear energy plant.

According to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, signed by more than 90 nations including North Korea, U.N. inspectors have the right to investigate to see if a country is building nuclear weapons.

By refusing to allow U.N. inspectors into Yongbyon, the North Koreans have heightened U.S. suspicions that they are building nuclear weapons.

Many U.S. experts now believe that the North Koreans most likely have at least one nuclear weapon, possibly two.

Kim Il-sung further aroused suspicions by breaking off talks with South Korea about making the Korean peninsula nuclear-free. He also vowed to continue developing new missiles that could carry nuclear warheads deep into South Korea and even into Japan.

U.S. Response

Kim's actions seemed to be the last straw for President Clinton. On March 22, the president announced that he was sending 200 Patriot missiles to help defend South Korea. The Patriots were used during the Persian Gulf War (1990) to defend against Iraq's Scud missiles--the same type of missiles North Korea has. Kim has called sending the Patriots "an act of war by the United States."

In addition, President Clinton

* sent two aircraft carriers to waters off North Korea;

* announced joint military exercises with South Korea in September;

* wrote to South Korean president Kim Young-Sam that the United States would regard a North Korean invasion of South Korea as an attack upon the United States itself;

* asked the United Nations Security Council to consider a total trade ban on North Korea unless it opens its nuclear plants to full inspections.

In response to these U.S. moves, Kim Il-sung threatened war. One top North Korean official said that North Korea would leave Seoul, South Korea's capital, "a sea of flaines."

North Korea has more than a million troops stationed just north of the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea. These troops are well-equipped and battle-ready.

Absolute Dictator

Would Kim actually invade South Korea, plunging the world into another Korean War?

U.S. experts believe that the chances of that are increased because of the unstable, often bizarre, nature of the North Korean leader.

Kim is one of the last absolute Communist dictators left on earth. His word is law to all 21 million people in North Korea. All North Koreans are required to have Kim Il-sung's photo in their homes, wear lapel badges with Kim's image on it, and refer to Kim as "the Great Leader."

From birth to death, Kim's hold over North Koreans is almost total. Young school children, singing Kim Il-Sung's praises, march to school where they are still taught that Kim is their real father.

For those who object, there is prison or death. Amnesty International, a human-rights organization, estimates that more than 150,000 political prisoners are in North Korea.

For the last 20 years, Kim has had a grapefruit-sized growth on the back of his neck. To mention this deformity, however, is to risk prison or even death.

During a recent festival, Kim's security guards forced all diplomats who would meet him to have their hands cleaned with a disinfectant powder. Food tasters constantly taste Kim's food, testing for poison, and people meeting Kim must change into special clothing. Those who do meet the dictator are expected to bring gifts, bow to his picture, and sing a song honoring him. Kim reportedly has a 100-room palace filled with the 60,000 expensive gifts he has received.

Kim's son, Kim Jong-Il, is a shadowy figure who has never been seen live on television. A commentator always speaks for him and people suspect he suffers from a speech problem, possibly the result of a car accident.

U.S. Worries

What worries South Korea and the United States is that Kim Il-sung has never given up his dream of taking over South Korea by force. Given his unstable personality, huge army, and now, possibly, nuclear weapons, will he launch a desperation attack before he dies?

"We cannot rule out the possibility that North Korea might do something out of desperation," says Hyun Hong-Ju, a former South Korean ambassador to the United States.

Other experts, however, feel that Kim will back down and the crisis in Korea will be resolved peacefully.

A date to watch will be next Friday, April 15, the date of Kim Il-Sung's 82nd birthday. On that day tension will be high on the Korean peninsula.