This is John Batchel, colleague David Maxwell, speaking of the threat to Korean sovereignty by North Korea.

Republic of Korea is looking at a new election. The election has in the candidate who's leading

the persuasion that you can make peace with the North.

David Maxwell has another opinion.

The North is the threat, always the threat.

But what threatens the North?

David Maxwell, more of this tonight.

Well, I think that many in Korea understand the threat from the North. And of course,

Kim Jong-un is making that threat very real. I think what the problem is, is the naivete among pundits in South Korea and in the United States that you can appease Kim Jong-un. And I think that's where E.J. Myeong breaks down.

And, you know, they think that they can appease Kim Jong-un, and that will bring peace.

And I think most of us believe, who study the problem, know that the root of all evil on the

Korean Peninsula is the existence of the Kim family regime.

And the existential threat to Kim Jong-un is the very existence of South Korea and the example that it provides to the Korean people in the North for how to live a better life.

Gordon.