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South Korea won`t participate in North Korean Blockade

The South Korean leadership has decided not to actively join US plans to block continued weapon proliferation to North Korea despite the country`s nuclear tests and blunt disregard to international agreement and standards. The government in Seoul has reviewed the benefits and dangers of joining the US plans to stop North Korean ships carrying weapons called Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) decided upon October 9th after North Korea completed its first nuclear test.

The ruling Uri Party decided that the South Korean government will support the international community`s attempts to keep weapons of mass destruction out of neighboring North Korea but not by actively stopping the communist boats en route as this is feared to deteriorate into all-out war something that no Korean wishes. South Korea feels North Korea is an enemy but also a friend and would much rather have other countries such as Japan and the US do the dirty work of keeping the communist threat at bay.

The PSI program was launched by US President George W. Bush in 2003 in attempt to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction into North Korea. The program is voluntary and isn`t based on any international treaty but rather on the voluntary cooperation of interested party nations. South Korea has an agreement that allows both Koreas to inspect each other`s maritime vessels but since this agreement has been signed no North Korean ships have been inspected by North Korea.