May 25, 2018
Trump Leaves the Door Open for Another North Korea Summit
The Trump administration’s announcement that they will postpone the Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signaled that they are committed to a good deal for the United States, or no deal at all. Trump’s letter to Kim made it clear that he was disappointed by North Korea’s recent actions and words—including Pyongyang’s earlier promise to allow experts to gather forensic evidence at today’s demolition of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site.
Driving President Trump to the brink were recent comments from North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, a long-time U.S. interlocutor who claimed that, “Whether the U.S. will meet us at a meeting room or encounter us at nuclear-to-nuclear showdown is entirely dependent upon the decision and behavior of the United States.” Her statement also cited Vice President Pence and National Security Advisor Bolton’s recent comments on the Libya model as drivers for North Korea’s recent uptick in sharp rhetoric.
However, critics mistake symptoms for underlying causes when they blame Ambassador Bolton or Vice President Pence for their references to the “Libya model” of denuclearization. Secretary Pompeo’s testimony that the North Koreans were unwilling to engage in serious preparations reinforces the argument that the North Koreans themselves were not yet ready to discuss the future of their nuclear program.
Read the Full Article at The National Interest
More from CNAS
-
Domestic Politics Threaten Hard-Won Success in East Asia
Commentary
As momentous and historic as the Camp David agreements were, this trilateral grouping is innately and structurally fragile...
By Dr. Duyeon Kim
-
Why Aren’t the Presidential Candidates Debating China?
Commentary
Underestimating the China risk is a longstanding American strategic error....
By David Feith & Gabriel Scheinmann
-
Strengthening the Shield
Reports
In December 2022, Japan’s government released three major strategic documents: the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program. ...
By Jacob Stokes, Lisa Curtis, Joshua Fitt, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph I. Grimm & Rebecca Wittner
-
Dr. Duyeon Kim and the Kim Jong Un-Putin summit
Video
Dr. Duyeon Kim joins BBC News to discuss Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia to meet with Vladimir Putin, and the summit's implications for South Korean security. Watch the full in...
By Dr. Duyeon Kim
