THE world has seldom been surprised by the fickleness that characterises North Korea’s actions. Tuesday’s artillery attack by North Korea close to the disputed Yellow River boundary, killing two South Korean soldiers, forced Seoul to put its armed forces on high alert and raised tensions between the two neighbours to a level considered the worst since the Korean War. America, the European Union and Japan have condemned the North Korean attack, with President Barack Obama describing it as “a serious and ongoing threat that needs to be dealt with”. Built into the situation is lack of a clear policy option for Washington. President Obama said nothing substantial besides describing South Korea as “a cornerstone of US security in the Pacific”. Meanwhile, the decision to hold joint military exercises with South Korea can only be seen as a counter-productive move.

What motives the communist government had in unleashing the artillery bombardment is difficult to fathom. With his health failing, President Kim Jong-il has indicated his son Jong-un will succeed him, but it is not clear in what way the attack on the island will bolster his son’s image and help his people, who have suffered economic hardships because of the regime’s nuclear policy, which has led to the country’s isolation. North Korea needs the world community’s mature response — something that was not visible in the aftermath of the incident last March when a northern torpedo sank a southern naval vessel. America condemned that incident and then began joint military exercises with its ally.

This served to raise tensions rather than move the two countries towards reconciliation. China is North Korea’s ally, and it has called for mutual restraint. Sanctions have failed to work. The option for the world community is to engage North Korea and try to bring it out of its isolation.