Should North Korea be listed as a state that sponsors terrorism?
Later this week or early next week, President Trump is set to announce if North Korea will be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. On the job currently is Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to investigate the claim. North Korea was put on the state sponsorship of terrorism list in 1988 after it bombed a South Korean airliner. North Korea was removed from this list in 2008 when President Bush hoped to strike a deal with the country in freezing it's nuclear program.
Today the question remains, does North Korea sponsor terrorism? To answer this question, let's turn to the region of Lebanon and Palestine. In the area, there are two groups referred to as Hamas and Hezbollah. In short, Hamas is a pro-Palestine group whose aim is to take back the lands of Israel. In order to achieve success, Hamas has turned to killings and suicide bombings. Tactics that have condemned them by Israel, the EU, and the United States as a terrorist organization. Hamas' second goal is to establish an Islamic State throughout the area. The Counter Extremist Project has referred to the group as; political, religious, social service provider, terrorist, and violentSource.
Hezbollah is no way connected to Hamas. However, like Hamas, they are aiming to take power in the government. In this instance, they are trying to take control of the Lebanese government. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is also anti-Israel and believes instead in the creation of a Palestinian state. With backing from Iran and Syrian regimes, Hezbollah is financially strong and militarily advanced. Similarly, the United States and European Union have designated the group as a terrorist organization. In 2012, Hezbollah militants blew up a tour bus in Bulgaria, killing 5 and injuring many others.
How does this relate to North Korea and its designation of a sponsor of terrorism or not? According to an article written by Con Coughlin of London's The Telegraph, a shipment in 2009 was intercepted containing weapons for both Hamas and HezbollahSource . The shipment was of North Korean origin. The article goes into further detail explaining that in 2014, Hamas negotiated a deal with North Korea for more arms. I cannot confirm on the completion of the 2014 deal, or if it was just speculation. If the deal went through, the act would land North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
North Korea has publicly backed Hamas and the Syrian regime this year. Regarding the Palestine-Israel conflict, North Korea, alongside Hamas condemned the state after the Israel Defense minister insulted Kim Jong-UnSource. It should be noted that stating support for Palestine instead of Israel does not support terrorism. Arguably, Palestine should be recognized alongside Israel. Yet, supporting Hamas' efforts would be by definition, supporting terrorism.
Furthermore, earlier this year President Assad of Syria thanked North Korea for its support in the Syrian civil warSource. Syria is one of a few countries listed currently as a state sponsor of terrorism. President Assad has killed many of his citizens with the use of chemical weapons as the civil war continues to progress. North Korea's continued support for the Syrian regime continues to prove that North Korea sponsors terrorism.
It is a much harder argument to prove if the DPRK is involved in terrorist acts of their own. Terrorism is the violent act of a group against innocent civilians for political gain. Otto Warmbier's parents insist on defining North Korea as a terrorist state. While it is tragic what happened to Otto Warmbier in North Korea, he wasn't technically innocent. For the act to be considered terrorist, he would have had to be innocent. By American standards, he was. He simply stole a North Korean propaganda poster. In North Korea, the act of doing so by any person would result in hard labor or worse. For Otto, he was ultimately killed. Yet, a terrorist act would have to be targeted at a random person or people. Not someone who committed an illegal act in the country. Furthermore, there was no political gain for the regime of North Korea for torturing Warmbier.
North Korea does use evil tactics as a means of progression. However, I do not believe you could consider the regime a terrorist organization. North Korea does, on the other hand, support terrorist groups and should be classified accordingly. As stated above, there is adequate evidence to prove that the regime sponsors terrorism. Doing so would further hinder the reputation of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea).
Update: Two days after this post was published President Trump announced his decision to designate North Korea as a sponsor of terrorism. (November 20, 2017)
Today the question remains, does North Korea sponsor terrorism? To answer this question, let's turn to the region of Lebanon and Palestine. In the area, there are two groups referred to as Hamas and Hezbollah. In short, Hamas is a pro-Palestine group whose aim is to take back the lands of Israel. In order to achieve success, Hamas has turned to killings and suicide bombings. Tactics that have condemned them by Israel, the EU, and the United States as a terrorist organization. Hamas' second goal is to establish an Islamic State throughout the area. The Counter Extremist Project has referred to the group as; political, religious, social service provider, terrorist, and violentSource.
Hezbollah is no way connected to Hamas. However, like Hamas, they are aiming to take power in the government. In this instance, they are trying to take control of the Lebanese government. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is also anti-Israel and believes instead in the creation of a Palestinian state. With backing from Iran and Syrian regimes, Hezbollah is financially strong and militarily advanced. Similarly, the United States and European Union have designated the group as a terrorist organization. In 2012, Hezbollah militants blew up a tour bus in Bulgaria, killing 5 and injuring many others.
How does this relate to North Korea and its designation of a sponsor of terrorism or not? According to an article written by Con Coughlin of London's The Telegraph, a shipment in 2009 was intercepted containing weapons for both Hamas and HezbollahSource . The shipment was of North Korean origin. The article goes into further detail explaining that in 2014, Hamas negotiated a deal with North Korea for more arms. I cannot confirm on the completion of the 2014 deal, or if it was just speculation. If the deal went through, the act would land North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
North Korea has publicly backed Hamas and the Syrian regime this year. Regarding the Palestine-Israel conflict, North Korea, alongside Hamas condemned the state after the Israel Defense minister insulted Kim Jong-UnSource. It should be noted that stating support for Palestine instead of Israel does not support terrorism. Arguably, Palestine should be recognized alongside Israel. Yet, supporting Hamas' efforts would be by definition, supporting terrorism.
Furthermore, earlier this year President Assad of Syria thanked North Korea for its support in the Syrian civil warSource. Syria is one of a few countries listed currently as a state sponsor of terrorism. President Assad has killed many of his citizens with the use of chemical weapons as the civil war continues to progress. North Korea's continued support for the Syrian regime continues to prove that North Korea sponsors terrorism.
It is a much harder argument to prove if the DPRK is involved in terrorist acts of their own. Terrorism is the violent act of a group against innocent civilians for political gain. Otto Warmbier's parents insist on defining North Korea as a terrorist state. While it is tragic what happened to Otto Warmbier in North Korea, he wasn't technically innocent. For the act to be considered terrorist, he would have had to be innocent. By American standards, he was. He simply stole a North Korean propaganda poster. In North Korea, the act of doing so by any person would result in hard labor or worse. For Otto, he was ultimately killed. Yet, a terrorist act would have to be targeted at a random person or people. Not someone who committed an illegal act in the country. Furthermore, there was no political gain for the regime of North Korea for torturing Warmbier.
North Korea does use evil tactics as a means of progression. However, I do not believe you could consider the regime a terrorist organization. North Korea does, on the other hand, support terrorist groups and should be classified accordingly. As stated above, there is adequate evidence to prove that the regime sponsors terrorism. Doing so would further hinder the reputation of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea).
Update: Two days after this post was published President Trump announced his decision to designate North Korea as a sponsor of terrorism. (November 20, 2017)
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