Two articles from the Post which I thought might help us think out of the box on N.Korea. When I mean out of the box, I mean thinking about issues outside of security, proliferation, and food aid, things like development assistance and the viability of economic zones.
The first article on agriculture development in Afghanistan doesn't apply to NK, but it' the principle of looking beyond existing models or frameworks which have continued to fail in the past.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/18/AR2009061804135.html
The second article pertains to the precarious state of the Kaesong Industrial Complex with S. Korean investors pulling out amidst NK demands, and increased political risk in conducting business with the North. Again shows why at the end of the day the security issue dominates the agenda. Must security issues be resolved first before moving forwad on issues of economic reform, development, human rights etc... or will efforts promoting economic reforms and development help pave a resolution to security issues. (Update: S.Korea's "sunshine" engagement policy was an attempt at the latter. Obviously it failed...but perhaps the program was undercut by the early Bush Administration's NK policy).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/18/AR2009061803683.html
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