Mick Hartley

One of the topics which the Dear Leader discussed with President Dmitry Medvedev on his recent trip to Russia was the proposed gas pipeline supplying South Korea and passing through the North. The Russians were rumoured to be pledging an income of around $100m a year to the North for the privilege. The security implications, though – the opportunities for the North to blackmail the South – are obvious. We can be fairly sure, from the North's previous record, that once the pipeline's in place any promises and guarantees will effectively be worthless.

Now, in the joint press conference which South Korean President Lee Myung-bak held with President Obama on Thursday, Lee was – to his evident surprise – asked about just this. It's worth reproducing:

Q: I know that President Lee is talking about a South Korea-North Korea-Russia trilateral gas pipeline project. But North Korea is also under a lot of sanctions from the international community and the United States and other countries. But having said that, if this gas line project proceeds as planned, then we would have to provide or compensate North Korea with a substantial amount of money or other forms of compensation. So in your opinion, President Lee, do you think that the gas line pipe project will be able to proceed without resolving the North Korean nuclear issue?

PRESIDENT LEE: (As interpreted.) Yes, thank you. And I don't know if that’s a question that I should be answering here in the United States, but since you asked a question I will try to answer that.

In the Far East, we have been discussing this issue for quite some time in trying to import Russian gas into the Republic of Korea. Now, we’re discussing, right now with the North Koreans, whether the Russian gas — which is quite affordable — can travel through North Korea and be imported and be used in South Korea.

This is beneficial, first of all, for Russians because they can sell their natural resource. For North Korea it is beneficial because they could use this natural resource, and also beneficial for South Korea as well. But let me just remind you that South Korea, North Korea and Russia haven’t yet come together to discuss this issue in any detail. But from an economic standpoint of view, it is beneficial for all parties involved. But I understand that this issue is not just economics alone. This issue, inevitably, involves security matters, which we will consider very closely.

And, also, let me remind you that this project will not be implemented anytime soon. Of course we are mindful of the progress that we are making with regards to the North Korean nuclear issue as well.

So they are talking about it, now, to the North Koreans, but it "will not be implemented anytime soon". And yes, it's not just about economics. Security matters are involved. Which is obvious, of course, but it's interesting to hear it direct from the South Korean President. 

[Via Stephen Haggard]