The release last week of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, the two journalists held by North Korea, is cause for celebration and also an opportunity to pursue change by Pyongyang. North Korea’s aging, inbred and isolated ruling clique confronts very extreme poverty, stagnation and global isolation. In consequence, Seoul as well as Washington has a diplomatic and political opening which should be exploited, especially over the coming weeks.

            China is pivotal, an economic colossus which has so far avoided the severe international economic recession. Beijing is Pyongyang’s only remaining substantial ally, but now regularly sides with the UN and U.S. in pressing for restraint by the North, especially in regards to nuclear weapons development.

            Interpersonal conflict attracts attention, and in the wake of former President Bill Clinton’s surprise trip to Pyongyang to secure the release much media commentary has emphasized that dimension. There has even been speculation that U.S. foreign policy will be hurt because Clinton in effect provided public legitimacy to a rogue regime by appearing side by side with Dictator Kim Jong-il, while in the process upstaging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as President Obama.

            In an age when professional news reporting is steadily undermined by media emphasis on entertainment, such commentary is not surprising but is distorting. Bill Clinton was a good choice to travel to North Korea. The Clinton administration was relatively successful in dealing with the very difficult North Korean government, especially in securing a temporary hold on nuclear developments.   

            On this trip, Clinton was eminently diplomatic. The normally loquacious former chief executive was almost completely silent. His public meeting with the North Korean leader was very much a pro forma exercise, with no propaganda value to the other side.

            Indeed, seizing and attempting to exploit the two young reporters for propaganda purposes projected an image of weakness by Pyongyang. A truly great international power would not spend time trying to turn a minor incident of alleged border trespass into a major diplomatic and propaganda exercise. Keeping them imprisoned ran the risk of exposing North Korea’s cruel and barbaric labor camp system to international attention.

            Steady economic deterioration in North Korea provides a continuing incentive to expand very limited economic links with South Korea as well as substantial cooperation with China. There may also be an opportunity to restart the on-again off-again Six Party nuclear negotiations involving China, Japan, Russia and the U.S. with the two Koreas. Pyongyang presses for direct bilateral negotiations with the U.S.; there is no indication the Obama administration agreed to this or anything else in return for the release of the two women.

            In future, Washington should provide the South Korean government with as much freedom and encouragement as possible to pursue cooperation with the North. The South Korean ‘economic miracle’ is truly just that. The continued extraordinary success of the country in economic terms will only reinforce steadily expanding regional – and global – political and diplomatic influence.

            The Kaesong industrial area in North Korea provides a beachhead of South Korea capital and commercial expertise. Pyongyang has not shut down the facility despite the current freeze in relations. The Obama administration should encourage expansion.

            In any case, this is one of a number of topics for Seoul to pursue directly with Pyongyang, with Washington providing encouragement and help. Commerce has transformed China, and may unfreeze North Korea.

Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College in Wisconsin and author of ‘After the Cold War’ (NYU Press and Palgrave/Macmillan). He can be reached at acyr@carthage.edu