A nuclear deal with the US might have raised hopes that tensions on the Korean peninsula could ease soon, but rare interviews on Friday with Pyongyang residents suggest deep cynicism of US intentions.
North Korea’s military, meanwhile, repeated threats of a “merciless sacred war” against South Korea — highlighting the lingering animosity between the divided Koreas, despite the North’s diplomatic breakthrough with Washington.
The US-North Korea announcement of an agreement to freeze North Korea’s nuclear activities in exchange for food aid was seen in Washington as a promising first step toward discussing nuclear disarmament.
However, in North Korea’s capital, where citizens are taught from childhood to hate the US, skepticism ran deep.
“I heard the news, but I’m not very excited,” said Jong Yun-hui, 43.
She said many rounds of talks over the years have failed to result in food or much-needed energy.
“I have no faith in the US,” she added.
North Koreans are subject to daily propaganda and the views of those interviewed often reflect what is said by the government.
Under the deal announced on Wednesday, North Korea has agreed to suspend uranium enrichment and observe a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests, and to allow the return of UN inspectors expelled in 2009.
In return, the US promised 240,000 tonnes of food aid, mostly for hungry children, as well as to help facilitate cultural, educational and athletic exchanges.
Next week, a senior North Korean nuclear negotiator is scheduled to travel to New York to attend a security conference organized by Syracuse University in a trip seen as an early sign of warming relations under new North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, even as there is widespread skepticism that the deal will hold.
From childhood, North Koreans are taught to hate the “American wolves.” The US is blamed for the division of the Korean Peninsula and is routinely accused of seeking to invade the North on South Korea’s behalf.
However, in recent years, many of the posters that urged North Koreans to attack the US have been taken down and replaced with ones reflecting the new policy of building up the economy.
News of the deal was trickling down to Pyongyang residents, but many seemed unwilling to accept that North Korea was ready to give up a nuclear program that was the country’s pride and joy during late leader Kim Jong-il’s rule. Bombs and missiles were considered the chief deterrent against the military threat posed by the US, which keeps more than 28,000 troops in South Korea.
In a sign that a similar breakthrough in relations between the Koreas appears distant, the North’s army threatened in a statement a “merciless sacred war” over the alleged defamation of North Korean pictures and joint US-South Korean military exercises, which began this week and will run through April.
North Korea has routinely denounced such drills as a precursor to war.
North Korea’s official news agency reported that Kim Jong-un inspected the Strategic Rocket Force Command of the Korean People’s Army.
The report, dated Friday, said he told the unit “to make thorough-going preparations for battles.”
Two soldiers in Pyongyang expressed anger after hearing the North accuse South Korea’s military of writing defamatory remarks below portraits of North Korean leaders.
“What the South Korean military did is beyond imagination,” said Ri Sang-ik, a 45-year-old lieutenant-colonel of the Korean People’s Army (KPA).
In comments echoing state media propaganda, Kim Cho-hyang, an 18-year-old KPA soldier, said in an interview: “I am running out of patience waiting for an order. We have issued enough warnings so far. I cannot wait to storm the den of the group of traitors.”
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