| As North Korean diplomats prepare to take part | | | | long-lost brother. But they really haven't. In fact |
| in a regional security forum in Malaysia, Pyongyang | | | | they'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 out | | | | important for its national defense and says they |
| at U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice | | | | were 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 "completely | | | | defend itself from what it considers a threat of |
| irresponsible" state after it test-fired seven | | | | invasion 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 the | | | | Kim Byun-ho, an expert on the two Koreas with |
| primary focus at a Southeast Asian security | | | | Seoul National University, says South Korean public |
| forum in Malaysia later this week, which Rice and | | | | sentiment toward the North has taken a turn for |
| senior North Korean officials are expected to | | | | the worse. |
| attend. Because of the launches, Pyongyang is | | | | He 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 North | | | | that they are becoming hesitant about future aid |
| Korea after the launches, and may add economic | | | | efforts. |
| sanctions. China, Pyongyang's main patron, | | | | Russia and the United States have joined China, |
| supported a United Nations resolution condemning | | | | Japan and South Korea in pushing Pyongyang to |
| the launches, and may be pursuing financial | | | | return to six-nation talks aimed at ending its |
| sanctions because of alleged North Korean | | | | nuclear weapons programs. Pyongyang refuses to |
| counterfeiting and money laundering. | | | | do so until Washington lifts sanctions imposed on |
| And South Korea, which has tried to engage | | | | North Korean enterprises because of alleged |
| North Korea for several years, suspended aid | | | | financial crimes. |
| shipments to its impoverished neighbor. | | | | When he arrived in Malaysia Tuesday for the |
| Peter Beck, the Northeast Asia director of the | | | | regional 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 not | | | | six-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 job | | | | optimistic of even being able to meet alone with |
| of what the Koreans call 'minjok giri', or 'Koreans | | | | his North Korean counterpart. |
| only' - playing to this troubled but nevertheless | | | | |