THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 2, 1994 TAG: 9406300025
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
As one of 1.5 million Korean-Americans in the United States, I am deeply concerned that the situation on the Korean peninsula may escalate to a direct military confrontation between the United States and North Korea. Many of us still have relatives living there.
Another war in Korea would bring destruction of a nation and the Korean race by state-of-the-art weaponry. We cannot be witness to this.
North Korea is suspected of covertly building nuclear bombs. The motives of North Korean president Kim Il-Sung may be to extract diplomatic recognition and economic aid from the United States or to ensure his son's ascension to power. But his ultimate motive appears to be to ensure the survival of his regime and the country he created, especially when he is under a siege mentality.
The United States, as a leader of a new world order, cannot allow North Korea to have atomic bombs. They are no longer a sign of national pride or world power but a means to end the human race unless their proliferation is held in check.
Unless a dramatic deal is struck between the United States and North Korea toward a peaceful solution, deadly battles will be waged with an innocent South Korea involved. Seoul, only 25 miles away from the demarcation line, will be destroyed instantly, and most of the Korean peninsula will go into flames.
We Korean-Americans do not agree with the policies of Kim Il-Sung and his successor son Kim Jung-Il. Nor do we respect their Stalinist manner. However, a country cannot be punished based on a suspicion.
The strong and mighty United States should guarantee Kim Il-Sung the survival of his regime and his country by extending him our recognition and economic aid. The United States should also demand that he renounce his nuclear-bomb program once and for all.
MICHAEL M. OH
Virginia Beach, June 10, 1994 by CNB