North Korea Finds Itself Increasingly Isolated After Missile Tests

As North Korean diplomats prepare to take partlong-lost brother. But they really haven't. In fact
in a regional security forum in Malaysia, Pyongyangthey've done everything they can to offend
is finding itself isolated not just by its usual critics,virtually everyone in the South," he said.
but also by some of its usually friendly neighbors.North Korea has defended the missile tests as
North Korean state media on Tuesday lashed outimportant for its national defense and says they
at U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Ricewere conducted safely. Pyongyang in the past has
Tuesday, calling her a "political imbecile."said it needs missiles and nuclear weapons to
Rice described North Korea as a "completelydefend itself from what it considers a threat of
irresponsible" state after it test-fired seveninvasion by the United States. Washington denies
missiles without warning early this month.having any intention of attacking North Korea.
Those missile launches are expected to be theKim Byun-ho, an expert on the two Koreas with
primary focus at a Southeast Asian securitySeoul National University, says South Korean public
forum in Malaysia later this week, which Rice andsentiment toward the North has taken a turn for
senior North Korean officials are expected tothe worse.
attend. Because of the launches, Pyongyang isHe says even humanitarian groups that usually set
finding itself beset by angry neighbors.aside politics are so disappointed with North Korea
Japan imposed transportation restrictions on Norththat they are becoming hesitant about future aid
Korea after the launches, and may add economicefforts.
sanctions. China, Pyongyang's main patron,Russia and the United States have joined China,
supported a United Nations resolution condemningJapan and South Korea in pushing Pyongyang to
the launches, and may be pursuing financialreturn to six-nation talks aimed at ending its
sanctions because of alleged North Koreannuclear weapons programs. Pyongyang refuses to
counterfeiting and money laundering.do so until Washington lifts sanctions imposed on
And South Korea, which has tried to engageNorth Korean enterprises because of alleged
North Korea for several years, suspended aidfinancial crimes.
shipments to its impoverished neighbor.When he arrived in Malaysia Tuesday for the
Peter Beck, the Northeast Asia director of theregional gathering, South Korean Foreign Minister
International Crisis Group research organization,Ban Ki-moon said he hoped to arrange informal
says he is surprised that North Korea has notsix-party talks this week to help Pyongyang end
even secured sympathy from South Korea.its isolation. However, Ban indicated he was not
"I really expected the North to do a bit better joboptimistic of even being able to meet alone with
of what the Koreans call 'minjok giri', or 'Koreanshis North Korean counterpart.
only' - playing to this troubled but nevertheless