WTF NOW? Why Does N.Korea Want to Talk About Mt. Baekdu POSSIBLE ERUPTION ?

Why Does N.Korea Want to Talk About Mt. Baekdu?

[link to english.chosun.com]

North Korea on Thursday called for talks with South Korea to discuss the possibility of Mt. Baekdu erupting. One possible aim is to shift the focus from last year's attacks on the Navy corvette Cheonan and Yeonpyeong Island to disaster prevention in attempts to resume dialogue with the South.

South Korean and Chinese experts have warned for years that the volcano could erupt again, but North Korea had refused to address the issue so far.

Over the last week the North has suddenly resumed a charm offensive following a period of belligerence.

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A North Korean source pointed out that Mt. Baekdu has huge symbolic significance in North Korea since it is the purported birthplace of Kim Jong-il and where Kim Il-sung fought against the Japanese occupying forces. "So it's surprising to see the North raise the issue of a volcanic eruption there in order to resume talks with South Korea," the source said. "It must be in desperate need of something."

That suggests North Korean officials may be more serious about the threat of an eruption than South Korean officials think.