News Analysis: U.S. responsible for deterioration of Korean Peninsula nuclear issue -- experts

Increased security tensions on the Korean Peninsula following a nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are a consequence of Washington's antagonistic policies toward Pyongyang. Therefore, the United States should bear much of the blame for a deteriorating nuclear issue, experts say.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Lv Chao, research fellow with the Academy of Social Sciences of Liaoning Province, says the ball is now in the U.S.'s court.

The nuclear test was apparently carried out to grab the U.S.'s attention, and the statement issued afterwards by Pyongyang addressed Washington directly, he said. "Washington has not implemented the Agreed Framework with the DPRK, inked in 1990s, and has not fulfilled its commitment to providing aid to the DPRK," he elaborated.

"All parties need to address the issue seriously, not simply pass the blame to others and hide in the background."

Ling Shengli, secretary-general of the International Security Study Center at the China Foreign Affairs University, went further, saying economic sanctions levied on the DPRK prompted the country to act arbitrarily and take a chance in developing nuclear weapons.

Except for a brief period in the 1990s, mutual distrust and antagonism have been the driving theme of U.S.-DPRK relations.

Since 2003, the DPRK has stressed that it would abandon its nuclear program only if the United States abandons its hostile policies toward Pyongyang.

A great many observers and analysts have also pointed out that any progress toward denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula hinges on improvement in U.S.-DPRK ties.

Jin Canrong, vice president of the School of International Studies at China's Renmin University, said the principal source strain on the Korean Peninsula lies in DPRK-U.S. ties.

"The origin and crux of the issue do not lie in China. Thus China is not the key to solving the problem," he said, "China only plays the role of 'promoting peace talks' and should not bear too much responsibility."

According to Lv, after the DPRK withdrew from the six-party talks, the United States began to pressure China to take on more of a leadership role while it hid backstage.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and others exaggerate China's influence on the DPRK as an excuse to shirk their responsibility for the development of the DPRK's nuclear program, Jin said.

"If there is an argument to be made about failure on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the failure belongs to the whole region," he added.

China has done its utmost to resume the six-party talks on the one hand, and has helped push forward economic opening in the DPRK on the other, Jin said.

The international relations expert predicted that the United States will show a tougher stance towards the DPRK, with economic sanctions as a superficial move and military deterrence as a substantial response.

The United States will deploy more military facilities in South Korea, according to some reports, including bombardment aircraft and a nuclear submarine as a deterrent against the DPRK, which could instigate conflict and make China "uncomfortable," he said, although Japan and South Korea would welcome the move.

To solve the crisis, all parties should show sincerity, strive for a peaceful solution and avoid any action that could sharpen regional tensions, Jin said.

Meanwhile, it is important to create a positive atmosphere and conform to the UN framework, he added.

Ling emphasized that compared with sanctions and isolation, engaging the DPRK and encouraging economic reform could lead the country to abandon its nuclear weapons. Endi