It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

NORTH KOREA: Japanese abductees' families aren't coming to Japan any time soon.

A senior North Korean diplomat on Tuesday dismissed the idea that the family members of Japanese abductees repatriated last year would visit Japan any time soon and reiterated Pyongyang's criticism of Japan on the issue.

Pak Ryong Yon, deputy chief of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's Asian bureau, also highlighted Pyongyang's demand that Tokyo pay compensation for past incidents against Koreans as well as providing economic aid as a condition for establishing diplomatic ties between the countries.

When I see stories like this, I have a much harder time hanging on to the "North Korea really wants to get along with its neighbors if only they would stop threatening it" train of thought. The issue of abducted Japanese citizens would seem to be an ideal one for the DPRK to make some good-will gestures with a minimum of fallout or downside. If they really want peace with their neighbors, why don't they?