Now serving as director of the Asian studies program at Georgetown University, Cha played an underappreciated role until last year in putting the U.S. on track to seek a diplomatic solution to the issue of nuclear weapons in North Korea. In an interview with the Chosun Ilbo, Cha said that regardless of who becomes president of the U.S., Obama or McCain, the situation will not improve when it comes to North Korean issues.

“The next U.S. president will not be able to focus on the North Korean issue due to Iraqi and Afghan issues and the economic crisis,” Cha said. “Therefore, the North Koreans can plan plutonium extraction, missile testing or even nuclear testing.” He said that if the North Korean issue continued, whoever assumed the U.S. presidency, Barack Obama or John McCain, could employ the full tool kit, including sanctions for North Korea. Cha said the requests that North Korea has rejected -- i.e., those for site visits, gathering of samples, interviews with concerned parties, and document review -- are four elements of the inspection process; they are neither excessive nor special to the case of North Korea. He added that negotiations will be possible for the declared period, but the U.S. does not have much flexibility in terms of the principles of inspection.

(englishnews@chosun.com )