Washington has made Pyongyang a major recipient of humanitarian aid, sending hundreds of millions of tons of food aid. But administration officials have argued that engaging, rather than isolating, Pyongyang is still the wisest course. Kim and Clinton agree that pushing hungry and belligerent North Korea too hard could lead to unthinkably bloody consequences. They also say that North Korea has shown some positive response to courting by Washington and Seoul, agreeing to peace talks, allowing more foreign investment and sending some officials overseas to learn about international law. Sources close to Perry say his recommendations will not move radically toward either fringe.
Mystery continues to be North Korea's most potent weapon abroad.
By maintaining a tomblike silence within the country, and by refusing to meet most foreigners and all Americans, Kim Jong Il has kept Washington and its allies off balance. We have no idea precisely how bad it is inside North Korea. It is somewhere between terrible and catastrophic. In some ways, however, information from inside North Korea flows more freely than it did even two or three years ago. More foreign business leaders, aid workers and politicians have been allowed restricted visits.