Thank God for North Korea!

THE chairman’s statement at the end of the 30th Asean Summit last week was at its clearest on concern over rising tension in the Korean Peninsula. With respect to other parts of the long statement, the world was treated to the usual prevarication on the South China Sea issue and sanguine satisfaction with progress in the Asean community pillars as well as its other integration projects.

Asean leaders, without qualification, identified North Korea’s belligerence and roguish behaviour as having caused the threat to peace, even if they called for restraint to preserve it.