South Korea announced on Friday it would withdraw all its employees from the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
On Thursday, Seoul sent out an "ultimatum," warning of "grave measures" if Pyongyang failed to respond to its dialogue proposal within 24 hours. This is a rare "threat" that South Korea has imposed on relations with the North.
Will Seoul adopt a tougher stance against North Korea? When it comes to tougher policies against the North, there are always plenty of backers in South Korea's political scene and arena of public opinion.
The Kaesong Industrial Complex has been the only tie pushing the two Koreas to engage in actual communication. Before the latest crisis, North Korea temporarily shut off the zone three times. But it was not determined to thoroughly shut down the complex.
This time, Pyongyang has withdrawn 53,000 employees from the industrial park, but avoided using the word "shut down," leaving room for future resumption. However, the South issued a stern ultimatum this time, which seemed a deliberate tough stance against Pyongyang.
The latest crisis marks a serious setback in Korean Peninsula dynamics, a reversal of the progress since the Roh Moo-hyun administration agreed with the North in 2006 to open the joint industrial park. Over the past few years, South Koreans have become increasingly intolerant of the North, and believe that it is the provocative North Koreans who have forced them to show toughness.
But in the eyes of the North, Seoul, as an accessory to Washington, has repeatedly facilitated US intervention in Peninsula affairs, rather than helping Pyongyang escape its security problems.
North Korea, which still has a strong legacy from the Cold War, has a completely different worldview from the South. South Korea should dispel Cold War clouds for its neighbor, rather than create the clouds itself.
Nevertheless in South Korean media, high-level discussions about the possible "collapse" of the Pyongyang regime are commonly seen. And many South Koreans expect a Peninsula reunion after such a "collapse."
Seoul can reap few strategic fruits by imitating the North and showing toughness. This may help appease South Korea's domestic public and allow politicians to collect points. However, with the disappearance of the Kaesong link, the already inadequate diplomatic flexibility between the two countries will be totally destroyed.
South Korea needs strategic insights, and to avoid being bothered by public opinion in decision-making over Peninsula policies. Political courage and decisiveness should be shown by fundamentally leading the country out of the chaotic Peninsula dynamics.