A Moment of Clarity

The North Koreans and South koreans got into a shoving match over talks on their Yellow Sea border. The North wants the entire buffer zone on the south side of the line:

But the row over the Yellow Sea border known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), which caused the breakdown of the last round in July, surfaced again.

The shared area is designed to avoid further clashes following bloody naval battles in 1999 and 2002.

North Korea wants it sited south of the sea border, which it refuses to recognise. The South says it should straddle the NLL, which was drawn unilaterally by United Nations forces after the 1950-53 war.

Which is all fascinating on its own, of course. But what I really want to point out is the use of the word "unilateral" as applied to our side.

Note that the line was drawn "unilaterally" by the United Nations.

Now, I'm no English major, but isn't what North Korea wants by definition "unlateral" and what the United Nations says "multi-lateral"?

Or is the word "unilateral" just another club to beat America and our allies no matter how many nations are on our side?

No need to email me. That was a rhetorical question.