North Korea Policy

* President Bush deserves an F or at best an “incomplete” on his first substantial foreign policy test--his meeting with President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea (March 8). Bush’s rebuff of South Korea’s awesome dedication to constructive engagement with North Korea and his apparent disinterest in continuing the missile control dialogue initiated by the Clinton team can best be interpreted in one of two ways.

The first is that the administration analyzed the possible results of diplomatic and arms control negotiations with North Korea and decided that risks to regional stability and U.S. security were too great to warrant further talks at this time. In fact, the principal risk of dialogue leading to a missile control treaty would be to weaken the case for a U.S. missile defense system. If this is the case, then the president truly deserves an F grade for throwing a monkey wrench into a promising and security-enhancing process.

The second possibility is that the Bush team is not yet adequately staffed and primed to consider meaningful talks with North Korea. If this is the case, the president deserves an “incomplete.” Only time will tell which grade is appropriate.

JEROME AROESTY

Los Angeles

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Breaking off contacts with North Korea until some future, as-yet-undetermined date would seem to put on hold the modest openings that North Korea has made in response to the engagements by both the U.S. and South Korea. There will, however, be one positive gain for the Bush administration: Any angry remarks coming from the North Koreans will strengthen the case the administration is trying to make for a national missile defense.

JOHN SELLARS

Redondo Beach