In an unsigned Editorial on 38 North, the message from the North Koreans is re-translated so that it makes more sense than that presented by the mass media:
The answer though could be found in the Korean language version, in which the formula was presented as one sentence, not two:
미국의 적대시 정책과 핵위협이 근원적으로 청산되지 않는 한 우리는 그 어떤 경우에도 핵과 탄도로케트를 협상탁에 올려놓지 않을 것이며 우리가 선택한 핵무력 강화의 길에서 단 한치도 물러서지 않을 것입니다.
“Unless the hostile policy and nuclear threat of the U.S. against the D.P.R.K. are fundamentally eliminated, we, under no circumstances, will put the nukes and ballistic rockets on the negotiating table and will not flinch even an inch away from our path of strengthening of the nuclear forces, which is chosen by ourselves.”
Indeed, this formulation just repeats earlier statement by Kim Jong Un himself (on July 4) as well as an official North Korean government statement on August 7, which is an authoritative policy pronouncement. But no one in the media mentioned either of these statements in their coverage.
The writer accuses the media of sensationalism, and I agree. The necessary intrusion of the private sector into the news sector, not to mention the natural requirement to compete, will lead to muckups like this – assuming this translation is correct. So the media stirs up its customers – I wonder how many customers’ health has been damaged by raising their blood pressure?
There’s something to be said for a dedication to truth.
