It has now been a year since Burma and North Korea announced their intentions to renew
diplomatic relations. In the ordinary course of events, such an announcement between two
nations at loggerheads would be a welcome sign.
But these are not two ordinary countries. From the beginning, this somewhat strange
relationship caused more concern than optimism among the neighbours, both in Northeast
Asia and around here. Neither the Pyongyang regime nor the Burmese dictatorship has
provided any reason to trust this renewed and secretive restoration of full diplomatic relations.
Individually, Burma and North Korea are each a thorn in the sides of their neighbours. Burma
is a reclusive, secretive country which has acquiesced in drug trafficking and built a massive
military and state security system by ruining the country economically. Thailand and others
are testimony that Burmese policy encourages the outflow of hundreds of thousands of
economic refugees who affect all its neighbours.
North Korea is a hermit nation which also has squandered the national economy in the name
of building a huge army. The Pyongyang regime has developed nuclear weapons, actually
fired missiles on and over neighbours including Japan. It has peddled nuclear and missile
technology almost around the world, and can be said to enjoy cordial diplomatic relations with
not a single nation.
Together, it is starting to appear that the sum of a renewed relationship between Burma and
North Korea is greater than its two distinct parts. After 25 years with little contact and no
official relations, Burma and North Korea have found certain common interests. These did not
even exist in 1983. That is when North Korean agents invaded Burma, launched a terrorist
attack against the visiting South Korean president and his cabinet, and caused Rangoon to
cut all ties.
What one publication dubbed last year as the uniting of world rogues has heightened
concern. It now appears that secret Burmese-North Korean military cooperation pre-dated the
decision to exchange ambassadors once again. At least one Australian expert has testified
that Pyongyang has been supplying conventional weapons and technology to Burma for
several years - probably since 1999, according to a respected Thailand-based Burma
watcher. For perhaps six years, a group of up to 20 North Korean technicians may have been
based at the naval base near Rangoon, and have fitted Burmese naval vessels with surface-
to-surface missiles. This would directly affect Thai security.
Then there are the reports that North Korea has become involved in the Burmese desire for a
nuclear reactor. While no one thinks the Burmese junta wants a nuclear weapon, its secretive
search for a research or medical reactor is highly troubling. It would be wrong to trust North
Korea, which has lied about its nuclear programme for two decades, anywhere near a Burma
nuclear project. Yet it now is known that Burma has sent technicians for nuclear training in
North Korea. There are legitimate questions here, including whether Burma wants to join the
nuclear club.
Pyongyang and Rangoon are entitled to have diplomatic relations. But their secretive nature
should trouble the Thai government and the neighbours of both countries. Secrecy promotes
suspicion, distrust and tension. Neither of these pariah nations has goodwill to help it look
respectable. The strongest diplomatic pressure should be put on both countries to clear up
their questionable behaviour, military acquisitions and nuclear programmes.
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