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PacNet #5 – Hawk Engagement: Avoiding the Brink with North Korea

President Bush’s references to North Korea as part of an "axis of evil" represents another feint in the administration’s yet un-formed policy toward the opaque regime. Bush started out his term expressing skepticism of North Korea and the "Sunshine" or engagement policy of South Korea. After a thorough policy review concluded last June, Bush then moved in the direction of engagement, welcoming talks with Pyongyang at any time. In his State of the Union address, Bush has now intimated little interest in engagement.