Denuclearization

The US Expects Full Denuclearization Before Sanctions Are Removed

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According to the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, the United States will remove the sanctions when full denuclearization occurs. However, the North Korea’s view of the process is somewhat different, and they believe that everything will happen in stages and that both countries will do their part, step by step.

The United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un met in Singapore at a long-anticipated summit about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. In return, Trump and the United States are “committed to provide security guarantees.”

Source:axios.com

After the meeting in Beijing, with his Chinese counterpart, Pompeo said that the States had “made very clear that the sanctions and the economic relief that North Korea will receive will only happen after the full denuclearization, the complete denuclearization of North Korea.”

According to the US Secretary of State, Japan, China and South Korea, all acknowledged that the world has moved from a standstill on the Korean Peninsula, but all of these countries said that the sanctions were not to be removed. After the summit, China recommended that the international sanctions imposed on North Korea should be lifted.

“China has reaffirmed its commitment to honoring the UN security council resolutions. Those have mechanisms for relief contained in them, and we agreed that at the appropriate time that those would be considered,” Pompeo said, standing next to the Chinese government’s top diplomat, the state councilor, Wang Yi.

Wang said that China also wants to see North Korea denuclearized and they would continue to play “a constructive role” in the entire process. He also pointed out that the matter was complex and it couldn’t be solved overnight. Meanwhile, after the Tuesday meeting with South Korean President and Japan’s Foreign Minister, Mike Pompeo said: “We are going to get complete denuclearisation; only then will there be relief from the sanctions.”

On the other hand, North Korean media reported that both leaders recognized the importance of “step-by-step and simultaneous action” to achieve ultimate goals. However, at the summit, we haven’t learned anything about whether North Korea would eventually give up the nuclear program and how they were planning to dismantle the missiles. The skeptics of the summit once again said that the North Korean leadership sees the nuclear program as a shield against the alleged US plans to unite the two states on the Korean Peninsula, effectively removing Kim Jong-un from his position.

Source:politicsinquotes.com

Moon Jae-in, the South Korean President, disagrees. He recognized the importance of the summit, saying that the world had escaped a war. Moon told Pompeo: “What’s most important was that the people of the world, including those in the United States, Japan, and Koreans, have all been able to escape the threat of war, nuclear weapons and missiles.”

Meanwhile, Pompeo keeps saying that North Korea was willing to give up their nuclear program, but that this would “be a process, not an easy one.” Once again, he pointed out that they would do this quickly and that they were aware that the reward would be the relief from the UN sanctions, which will come after “complete denuclearization.”

Besides the talk of denuclearization, North and South Korea had military discussions as well, for the first time in over ten years. This was a follow up after the inter-Korean summit which took place in April where the two leaders agreed to do everything to ease tensions on the peninsula.

Speaking of the military talks, the US president said on a news conference that he would end the US-South Korean military exercises. Japan opposed this and pointed out that such exercises were crucial for the security of eastern Asia. One of the US officials, who wanted to remain anonymous said: “Make no mistake, we are going to maintain the readiness of our forces in South Korea.” The US has 28,500 soldiers in South Korea, that is technically in a state of war with the North since the Korean War ended with a truce.

In the meantime, Vladimir Putin pleaded North Korean official Kim Yong-Nam to invite Kim-Jong-un to visit Russia in September.

Source: theguardian.com

North Korea Denuclearization Step-By-Step Process

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We are still waiting for Trump-Kim summit, but ever since North and South Korea reached an agreement, we are more positive towards the upcoming meeting. However, don’t forget that it could still go wrong, no matter what has happened previously. The main topic of the summit will be the denuclearization of North Korea, and it can be divided into four major steps, according to The National Interest.

Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un will meet on June 12 in Singapore. This was science fiction just a few years ago, even a few months ago, but this is happening. The United States has been on the brink of war with NK, but now the tables have turned, and finally, something positive is occurring at the world scene. We are not so sure why this summit is taking place at this point. Trump’s military threats could have forced Kim behind the table, but he was threatened before by Obama, and he didn’t want to discuss the matter. On the other hand, leader of the rogue state has built an incredible nuclear arsenal, and this confidence might be the reason he wants to meet with POTUS. There is more than just one factor, but the important thing is that the meeting will be held.

As we have already said, this summit could be the utter failure, and there is a possibility that Trump might accept a poor deal for the United States. Although the US will request nothing else but the complete denuclearization, don’t expect the North Korean leader to agree with it and get nothing in return. Kim will have requests as well, and it is probably something America will not adore, but a compromise needs to be made. For North Koreans, the nuclear program is something that has kept their country safe, and it is a legacy passed on from one generation to another, from Kim’s grandfather to Kim’s father and now to Kim.

Source:brookings.edu

We believe that Kim is entering the talks because he is an intelligent man. He recognized that none of the other leaders survived the war with the United States, but also none of the leaders, such as Gaddafi or Saddam Hussein, had nuclear bombs. The people and the US government needs to be aware that denuclearization is a process and it will take some time for North Korea to implement it. America needs to be careful not to give too much to Kim because, in the past, North Korea exploited the deals and agreements they signed. The entire process of denuclearization can be divided into four significant steps, and they are listed below:

• Freeze testing – The first phase of the process is crucial. Pyongyang needs to freeze the testing as well as the production of the nuclear arsenal, and they have agreed to do so in Kim’s meeting with the South Korean president earlier in the year.
• Cap arsenal – In the second stage, North Korea needs to stop with the production of highly enriched uranium and plutonium as well.
• Dismantling infrastructure – All nuclear infrastructure is to be dismantled. This is a crucial step because, without it, North Korea will not be able to produce enriched uranium and plutonium and to further improve the long-range missiles.
• Disarm – Last, but the most important step is the actual denuclearization. During this stage, North Korea is to extract all of the missile materials out of the country, and nothing must be kept.

There is no better way to approach the problem. Asking North Koreans to immediately give up their nuclear weapons would be a suicidal mission, and they would most likely refuse. Currently, we are at the stage one which has been achieved partially, and that is why America needs to be careful. The process of denuclearization is underway, and they must not rush it at any cost and create a counter-effect. The further we go regarding the four steps, the better it will be for the world. We would consider the mission to be successful if first three of the mentioned steps would be completed. Trump could leave the ultimate disarmament for later, mainly because North Korea would lose much of their power when they reach that point.

Let’s not be fooled – the United States needs to be generous and offer something to the Koreans at each stage of the denuclearization. What should it be? How far will Trump go? Trump has a difficult task of striking the perfect balance between giving too little and too much. And here is what Trump should offer at each stage.

Source:rferl.org

For starters, the US doesn’t have to give too much. Considering that the freezing stage is underway, Trump needs to maintain the positive atmosphere and not do anything which would aggravate Kim. Many criticized the US president for being too complimentary of the North Korean dictator, but perhaps that is not so bad after all. The second phase is the large one for the Koreans, and America would have to step up. North Korea would have to shut down all of the existing nuclear facilities, and the inspectors would enter each and every one to supervise this process. Of course, some of the facilities could be hidden, but let’s hope that this would not happen. Also, we would like to point out that this is not the permanent dismantling of the sites, which is why America must not be too generous. They need to offer something that is reversible if Kim decides to be courageous and discard the deal. Instead of eliminating sanctions, the US can withdraw them for several moments so that they can be imposed again if something goes wrong.

During the third stage, North Korea would be giving up too much. Even though they would have the right to keep the warheads, they would give up on investments which are worth billions of dollars and this would be a huge slap to the country’s economy. The US sanctions need to stay in place, while the UN sanctions are to be lifted. As the third phase is gradually heading to completion, the UN needs to lift sanctions accordingly. Once the entire process has reached the finale, should the UN lift all of their sanctions. In the end, we have reached the final fourth stage of the denuclearization. North Korea will ship the warheads out of the country, and they will no longer pose any threat to the world. As a reward, the US will lift the sanctions, freeing the country and allowing them to engage in trade with the rest of the world. This would also create room for major loans and grants from World Bank and the US Agency for International Development.

After the denuclearization process, which will last a long time, North Korea will engage in serious economic changes and their borders will be more open to the world. After that, Trump, or any other American president at the time should initiate talks about human rights. It is another topic which needs to be addressed, but we are going one step at a time. North Korea would finally have a chance to become the part of a free world and develop without any restraints. What is your take on the topic? Could this four-stage denuclearization process be the right thing for the world?

Source: brookings.edu

The Meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un Will Take Place in ‘in three or four weeks’

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The US president, Donald Trump, said a meeting with Kim Jong Un could happen over the next three to four weeks, speaking at a rally in Michigan.

“I think we will have a meeting over the next three or four weeks,” he stated “It’s going be a very important meeting, the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But we’ll see how it goes. I may go in, it may not work out, I leave.”

The exact date hasn’t been set yet, and the location of the summit has been a subject of many rumors, including Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, and even Mongolia.

Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, met with Kim Jong Un recently and said that they had a good conversation, praising Kim’s willingness to negotiate and his preparedness for the meeting.

Source:thenewdaily.com.au

“We had an extensive conversation on the hardest issues that face our two countries,” Pompeo said. “I had a clear mission statement from President Trump. When I left Kim Jong-un understood the mission exactly as I described it today.”

The denuclearization of the Korean peninsula has been promoted as a goal on Friday’s meeting between Kim and his southern counterpart Moon Jae-in in the Demilitarized Zone. Kim became the first North Korean leader to visit South Korea since the end of the war in 1953. The meeting went in a cordial atmosphere, with both presidents joking and laughing. One of the promises made was that a formal peace treaty would soon replace a truce that has ended the Korean War. It was even reported widely in the North Korea’s press, which is usually very tight-lipped when informing its citizens of any international development that doesn’t represent their country in the best light. Some experts interpret this in a way that Pyongyang is open to the idea of getting rid of its nuclear arsenal.

Trump has spoken with Moon Jae-in on the subjects and both presidents agreed that “complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization” is vital for the future of North Korea. Trump also claimed credit for the meeting, saying that “I had one of the fake news groups this morning. They were saying, ‘what do you think President Trump had to do with it? I’ll tell you what. Like, how about everything?”

The US defense secretary, James Mattis also talked to his colleague from South Korea and assured him that America would defend its ally “using the full spectrum of US capabilities.”

President Trump also had a phone call with the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, and appraised him of the situation.

Source: theguardian.com

Donald Trump Calls For Denuclearization Of North Korea

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During an interview on Tuesday, the President of the United States Donald Trump said that North Korea must get rid of their nuclear bombs. He emphasized that it is essential for world peace that Pyongyang puts a halt to their nuclear program. The primary theme of the upcoming Trump/Kim summit will be “denuclearization.”

During the joint press conference with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, Trump explained what denuclearization means in his book: “It means they get rid of their nukes — very simple.”

POTUS continued by saying: “It would be very easy for me to make a simple deal and claim victory. I don’t want to do that. I want them to get rid of their nukes.”

North Korean officials led by Kim Jong-un claim that they are willing to consider “denuclearization.” But, Pyongyang has a different definition of this term. For them, it’s “denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.” Under this, they want to see America’s military presence in the south part of the peninsula gone. But, removing US military presence from South Korea might destabilize the area, with both South Korea and Japan being in danger of North Korean power.

Donald Trump
Source: www.washingtonpost.com

The summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un is planned for some time now. The idea is to have a meeting to discuss North Korean nuclear program this year during May or June. Donald Trump is optimistic about the meetup calling the president of North Korea “very open” and “very honorable.” Judging by these comments some progress has been already made because a few months ago Trump called Kim “Little Rocket Man.”

At a press conference held in the White House on April 24th Trump said: “We have been told directly that they would like to have the meeting as soon as possible. We think that’s a great thing for the world. Kim Jong Un, he really has been very open, and I think very honorable from everything we’re seeing.”

The summit between Trump and Kim will have a prelude when North Korean leader meets with his Southern counterpart Moon Jae-in at demilitarized zone between two Korea’s.

The date and location for Kim/Trump meeting haven’t been officially set.

The USA and North Korea – What does Denuclearization mean?

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Next week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is going to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss different topics one of which is going to be denuclearization. This term has been in the media in recent weeks, and just like many, we are not sure what it means. Is it giving up on the nuclear weapons for? Or destroying all the weapons assembled so far? These are just some of the explanations of the term, but what is it that America wants North Korea to do exactly? The summit was planned, and US President Donald Trump is going to meet with Kim Jong-Un to discuss denuclearization, but America needs to show precise demands if they want the talks to be successful.

The reason why the meeting didn’t happen earlier is that North Korea wanted the US troops to withdraw from the region. But they do not anymore, and the summit will take place. Adam Mount, a senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, said: “North Korea has been saying all the right things … they want this summit to occur, and they’re doing what it takes to make it happen.”

However, North Korea has been quiet, and Kim’s public statements were vague and not so promising. In Beijing, at the end of March, Kim Jong-Un said: “It is our consistent stand to be committed to denuclearization on the peninsula, in accordance with the will of late President Kim Il Sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong Il.”
But are the three presidents have the same thing in mind when they talk about denuclearization?

The US and South Korea

Source:alsat-m.tv

For the United States and South Korea, denuclearization means only one thing. Josh Pollack, a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, said: “It’s called CVID — complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement of the North Korean program.” The word “irreversible” means that once the North Korean nuclear program is dismantled, it cannot be launched again. Moreover, this process needs to be under scrutiny and someone independent needs to oversee it. “Unless there is independent monitoring … any unilateral undertakings by the North Koreans will probably not be worth the paper they’re written on,” said Kevin Rudd, former Australian PM, and diplomat.

Two countries have advocated denuclearization of North Korea for decades, and this is the first time that some progress could be made. In 1991, Pyongyang joined Seoul and signed a “joint declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” After that, they requested international aid and promised to dismantle the program, but the words were all there was. After almost three decades, hope is rekindled, and this time it could be different. Even though we are doubtful that two sides have the same idea of denuclearization, Moon said: “I do not think there is any difference in the concept [between North and South Korea].”

North Korea

Source:express.co.uk

According to Xinhua, Chinese news, Kim Jong-Un didn’t speak of Pyongyang ending its program when he promised the talks in Beijing in March. He referred to “denuclearization on the (Korean) Peninsula.”

If you are still not sure what the difference is, Kim Jong-Un considers the denuclearization of the entire peninsula which means that both North and South Korea would have to give up on the nuclear program. They also consider the American presence on the South Korean soil to be the direct threat despite the fact that the US hasn’t installed any nuclear weapons since 1992. Pollack noted: “They really are threatened by superior American and South Korean military power, they need nuclear weapons to try and prevent an invasion in their view. They feel the need to equate their nuclear program with the (US and South Korean) military alliance and claims the military alliance is a nuclear threat, when there’s no real grounds for that.”

Pollack also made another interesting point that North Korean leader wants to create a gap between Washington and Seoul with his decision to discuss denuclearization. Pollack said: “The pessimistic interpretation is that Kim is intent on making concession after concession in private to show Moon that he is the reasonable one, with the expectation that Trump will ultimately be unable or unwilling to deliver.”

With this in mind, the dialogues would most likely be futile. The two sides have different views on denuclearization, and North Korea will not abandon its nuclear program while South Korea keeps developing it and the US forces stay in the region.

Source: edition.cnn.com