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Rudiger Frank, Professor of East Asian Political Economy at the University of Vienna, writes, “As soon as the usual two strong years in office of the new administration in Seoul are over, the Blue House, facing renewed pressure from its voters, will have to return to the engagement policy anyway. On the balance sheet we will see nothing but a loss of time and of influence. Confidence, contacts, access that have been destroyed during this period will have to be rebuilt, if this is possible at all.”

The National Committee on North Korea published this newsletter which detailed how college students from the DPRK, with assistance from Syracuse University and The Korea Society, competed in an international computer programming competition. The report concludes, “Several lessons seem clear. First, at least in several areas involving science cooperation, the DPRK is quite willing and able to engage international standards. Second, their best students are able to compete effectively with top students world-wide. Third, sincere cooperation begets trust and more cooperation.”

Axel Berkofsky, Adjunct Professor at the University Milan and Advisor on Asian Affairs at the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels, notes, “North Korea will not be ‘decisive and to try to make a deal with Bush while he is a lame duck ultimately, the Six-Party talks will break down under a McCain presidency or be replaced by a new process under a Democratic administration.’”