Threatening to end talks on deculearaization, North Korea’s 34-year-old dictator Kim Jong-un looks like he’s reneged on promises in a June 12 joint communiqué following the summit in Singapore, Malaysia. “The U.S. is still not ready to meet [North Korean] expectations in terms of taking a step forward to sign a peace treaty,” the Foreign Minstry was quoted in a letter to the U.S. State Department. Kim delivered July 27 on a promise to President Donald Trump to repatriate the remains to U.S. Korean War soldiers, kept since the Korean War ended July 27, 1953. Trump wanted Kim to take concrete steps toward denuclearization but so far has not seen the Hermit Kingdom taking any steps to disarm its nukes and ballistic missiles. Nuclear disarmament experts familiar with North Korea held no illusion about Kim disarming anytime soon, creating a quandary for Trump.
Slammed in the media for not get results on nuclear disarmament, Trump cancelled Aug. 24 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s next trip to Pyongyang, leaving the whole peace summit in doubt. Like the first cancellation May 24 for the eventual June 12 summit, Trump hoped canceling Pompeo’s trip would accelerate Kim’s readiness to disarm his nukes and ballistic missiles. When you consider North Korea hoped that Trump would make concessions on a peace treaty, officially ending the Korean War, giving Pompeo marching orders to wrap up a peace treaty make sense. Trump’s expectation that Kim would immediately start to disarm seems unrealistic. North Korea wants to see the U.S. soften its economic sanctions before starting the process on disarming its nukes and ballistic missiles. Trump wanted Kim to disarm first, to be followed by a peace treaty and end of sanctions.
White House officials should give peace on the Korean Peninsula a chance by finally signing a peace deal with North Korea. Once the peace treaty is signed, it will make more sense for Kim to begin the difficult process of disarming its nukes and ballistic missiles. Since Trump and Kim met in Singaport June 12, there’s been no more belligerent rhetoric promising nuclear retaliation if both sides can’t agree on terms of a peace deal. Judging by North Korea’s response to the State Department, it’s clear that they’re making an overture to keep disarmament talks going. Working on a treaty to officially end the Korean War would not compromise Trump negotiation position, only enhance it. Trump knows that the nuclear card is all Kim has, preferring to hang onto his leverage before giving it away. There’s good reason to believe that Pompeo is secretly working behind the scenes to complete a peace treaty.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed reservations about Kim’s willingness to follow through on disarmament after the June 12 Singapore Summit. “We need to keep a careful watch on North Korea to see what concrete action it takes to abandon its nuclear weapons and missiles,” said a Japanese defense paper. Buying U.S. advanced radar defense systems in response to 40 ballistic missiles tests flying over Japan since 2016. Having the advance Aegis Ashore radar defense systems should help Japan deter any more North Korean ballistic missile tests. North Korea referred to Japan as a “cult,” deliberately trying to sabotage any peace overtures. Trump needs to heed Abe’s warnings but, at the same time, recognize that Pyongyang wants a peace treaty before it feels comfortable disarming its nukes and ballistic missiles. Meeting North Korea half way should pay peace dividends.
When Kim met with Trump in Singapore June 12, the two looked like they got along famously, with Trump praising Kim as smart leader. Trump hopes Kim’s “smartness” translates into his acceptance of U.S. terms for a peace treaty. Trump originally told Pence that to win concessions to reduce U.S. and U.N. sanctions, Kim must start the process of nuclear disarmament. But with Kim demanding that the U.S. lessen North Korea’s sanctions, Trump has so far insisted Kim start dismantling his nukes and ballistic missiles. Working on a Korean War peace treaty first would give Kim the kind of reassurance needed to start denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Whatever Japan’s concerns, the U.S. must show the confidence needed to make the first overture to get Kim to finally begin the de-nuking process. Confidence-building measure are needed to start the disarmament process.
Before Trump met with Kim June 12, no one expected that the North Korean dictator would be so willing to sit at a table and negotiate away his nuclear weapons. While some analysts see Kim as yanking Trump’s chain, the White House should take Pyongyang at its word and work on a Korean War Peace Treaty. There’s no reason to return to return to gunboat diplomacy when both sides can compromise with their original expectations. When Kim promisec to denuclearize following the June 12 summit, he made it clear he wanted confidence-building exercises. Kim never said he would disarm without working on confidence-building strategies. None of confidence-building measures would be more powerful than signing Korean War treaty, paving the way for nuclear disarmament. While Trump walked away last Friday from more talks, he could easily send Pompeo back to Pyongyang.
