North Korea increases its leverage

-The sentencing of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two young American journalists, to 12 years of hard labour in North Korea has greatly complicated the Obama administration's attempts to pressure Pyongyang into giving up its nuclear weapons.

Kim Jong-il and Barack Obama
Kim Jong-il now has more leverage in talks with the US

Washington had so far responded to the communist country's increasingly shrill tone and military posturing by warning of consequences and seeking a unified, tough response from the international community, including tougher sanctions

But as it seeks the safe and swift return of the two women, Washington now has to re-examine its options.


On Sunday, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, said the administration was looking into whether to put North Korea back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism and she warned of further pressure, which Washington has been seeking through the UN Security Council.

Used as bait

Speaking on the American TV network ABC, she said: "We will do everything we can to both interdict it and prevent it and shut off their flow of money," a reference to possible attempts by North Korea to ship nuclear material.

But by Monday, the focus was on expressing concern for the two women and calling for their return.

"We think the imprisonment, trial and sentencing of Laura and Euna should be viewed as a humanitarian matter," said the US Secretary of State.

"We hope that the North Koreans will grant clemency and deport them." Washington insists that the case of the two journalists is a humanitarian issue and should not be linked to negotiations with North Korea on the country's disputed nuclear programme.

But that appears to be exactly what Pyongyang is trying to achieve, using the two women as bait to draw Washington to the negotiating table and impose its own terms on talks about its nuclear activities.

Kim Jong-il, the ailing leader of the reclusive communist country, has been flexing his muscles with nuclear tests and missile launches, partly to assert himself internally amidst reports of possible preparations for a succession, but also to improve his negotiating position in any upcoming talks.

The "Dear Leader", as he is referred to by his people, likes the world to come to him and is probably hoping that the US will send a high-level envoy.

Treading carefully

In the 1990s, then-congressman Bill Richardson negotiated the release of two Americans.

Mr Richardson, now governor of New Mexico, said he had been approached for advice by this administration.

"In previous instances where I was involved in negotiating, you could not get this started until the legal process had ended," Mr Richardson said in a televised interview on the American NBC network.

Journalists Euna Lee (L) and Laura Ling
The reporters were held while working on the China-North Korea border

"What we would try to seek would be some kind of a political pardon, some kind of a respite from the legal proceedings."

Another possible negotiator is former Vice President Al Gore, who founded the TV venture for which both reporters work.

While it now appears to be only a question of time until an envoy is despatched, the Obama administration is treading carefully.

"If the Obama administration sends an envoy now to negotiate the release of the prisoners, it's highly likely that North Korea will want to discuss everything," Nicholas Szechenyi from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"So that individual, whoever it may be, will have to have something in response to the North Korean demands on the nuclear side."

The de-nuclearisation of North Korea is the ultimate goal and everybody agrees that it will require talks.

But up until the sentencing of the two journalists, Washington was taking its time, using pressure to get Pyongyang in line.

With the quick and safe return of Ms Lee and Ms Ling now also a priority, it is likely that the pace of diplomacy will have to pick up.