The once irrefutable fact that North Korea is closed from others across the globe is now a thing of the past. Akin to a persona non grata before, the country is now slowly turning heads and is aiming to be accepted by the international community. Pyongyang is seen to be more accepting of conversation and dialogue and to a further slant, even able to meet at the negotiation table; a shift of seismic proportions.
Kim Jong-un’s historic meeting with South Korea’s President, Moon Jae-in earlier this year has set the tone for a more open and engaged North Korea to come to the fore. Kim Jong-un’s crossing of the world’s most heavily armed border into the South is a testament of that hunger; to develop and build upon foreign relations with other countries. He now looks to engage with the United States of America (US), an old adversary that could possibly become a trusting ally on the world stage.
Trump initially cancelled the summit to be held on 12 June, citing North Korea’s ‘hostility’ as a deterrent to talks. “Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate at this time, to have this long-planned meeting. Therefore, please let this letter serve to represent that the Singapore summit, for the good of both parties, but to the detriment of the world, will not take place,” Trump stated in an official letter addressed to the North Korean Premier on 24 May. Two days later, in an odd twist of events, Trump said that things were ‘moving along nicely’.
“Our US team has arrived in North Korea to make arrangements for the summit between Kim Jong-un and myself,” Trump tweeted over the weekend, highlighting a peculiar shift in stance and tone that could be derived from the letter sent to Kim Jong-un.
Such a flippant take on an engagement with North Korea may not bode well with many, as it seems that the President of the US is uncertain of himself.
Kim Kye Gwan, North Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister mentioned last week that his country still wanted to pursue peace. An engagement with the US is one of the fundamental steps in attaining that goal, which many would argue to be a shared dream of governments the world over. He added that North Korea is appreciative of Trump’s gracious decision to meet and hoped that the ‘Trump formula’ will be the catalyst for a deal to be brokered between both parties.
Reports from various news outlets have hinted at a possibility of Moon Jae-in taking part in the talks as well, indicating Seoul’s desire to salvage negotiations.
Source: Various sources
At stake
While adamant that Kim Jong-un is committed to denuclearisation, Moon Jae-in has acknowledged that Pyongyang and Washington might have dissimilar expectations of what that means, with him urging both sides to move past differences and agree on a noble cause. The Council of Foreign Relations suggests that South Korea is playing the role of a mediator, “given the reality that inter-Korean reconciliation, and ultimately peace on the Korean Peninsula, cannot be achieved unless the US and North Korea strike a deal on denuclearisation. It must be said that American officials are sceptical that Kim Jong-un will completely abandon his nuclear weapons. In Trump’s eyes, the decision to do away with nuclear weapons by North Korea can be seen as a foreign policy victory for his administration. On the other hand, relief from Washington’s sanctions and a boost in status are pulling factors for Pyongyang to do away with the aforesaid weapons.
As 12 June is fast approaching, it is not an exaggeration to say that the world is waiting with bated breath. The outcome of such a historic summit will have long-term effects on the game of perception besides a potential moving away from hard politics. All parties at the negotiating table ought to move away from presuppositions about one another and engage earnestly, with future generations in mind. The time is now for change to happen.