U.S. scholar suggests S. Korea refrain from 'bad-mouthing' N. Korea for peace coexistence

South Korean scholar Jared Diamond advised his country not to publicly criticize North Korea in order to foster peaceful coexistence. Diamond, famous for his book "Guns, Germs and Steel," made his comments during a forum in Seoul. He pointed to Finland's peaceful relationship with Russia for over 80 years as an example of how refraining from criticism can benefit national security.

Diamond noted that Finland avoids criticizing Russia because it is necessary for their own security, and similarly suggested that South Korea should stop publicly bad-mouthing North Korea if it wishes to maintain peaceful relations. He emphasized that this decision is up to South Korea, as they are the only ones who can determine their own path towards peaceful coexistence.

Diamond also proposed that South Korea and North Korea should hold private discussions on shared challenges, such as climate change, agriculture, aquaculture, and invasive species. He believed that these initial discussions should take place without any public announcements, in order to build trust and mutual benefits between the two nations.