Pyongyang's poor choice - 평양의 어리석은 선택

  Although South Koreans are accustomed to North Korean antics, the latest involving U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was as surprising as it was plain foolish. In Korea to attend to UNESCO-organized World Education Forum 2015, Ban made a surprise announcement on May 19 that he would be visiting the Gaeseong Industrial Complex - a symbol of inter-Korean economic cooperation located in the North Koreaa border town of Gaeseong - on May 21. However, on the eve of the trip, heannounced that his visit had been canceled by North Korea. The North Koreans apparently canceled their agreement on Ban's tour - which had been in the works for quite some time - literally overnight,  informing him of the cancellation in the early morning of May 29 through its New York diplomatic channel.

   Speculation abounds as to why North Korea abruptly changed its mind just one day before what would have been the first ever visit to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex by a U.N. secretary-general. Some say Pyongyang may have never intended for Ban to visit Gaeseong. Others  point out that Ban's remarks on May 19 that North Korea's development of missile and nuclear weapons was in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions may have irked the North.

  While we can only speculate about what caused North Korea to rescind its invitation, we can know for certain the consequences of the move. Pyongyang has willingly thrown away a chance at improving inter-Korean relations and also a chance at coming out of its increasing isolation.       

 

1) be accustomed to : ~에 익숙하다. cf. Ever thought that the food you are accustomed to may be a tad too salty?

2) antics : 익살스러운, 터무니없는/위험한 행동   cf. The bank staff got up to all sorts of antics to raise money for charity 

3) plain : a. (보거나 이해하기에) 분명한, 솔직한, 있는 그대로의  adj. (나쁜, 바보같음을 강조할 때) 분명히   n. 평원, 평지

4) speculation : 추측, 어림짐작  (<-speculate; 추측하다, 짐작하다)

5) abound : 무성하다. 풍부하다.

6) abruptly : 갑자기, 불쑥, 뜻밖에 

7) irk : 짜증스럽게 하다.   cf.  Recently, this has really started to irk me.