By Choi Sung-jin
Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate for U.S. presidential election, has reiterated his intention to negotiate with North Korea if elected.
While campaigning in Redding, Calif., on Friday (EST), the GOP politician targeted at foreign policy experts criticizing him, saying, “They say if I have qualms about bargaining with North Korea. No problems at all. Who in the world cares about it?”
Trump’s stance toward North Korea comes in stark contrast to that of President Barack Obama, and de facto Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who stick to sanctions until the recalcitrant regime begins to denuclearize itself.
“I may not go to North Korea but will negotiate with it,” he said. “They (the critical experts) say ‘we would never, ever, talk (with the North).’ How foolish they are!”
The real estate magnate-turned-politician went on to say, “Who knows whether dialogue will have effects? It may have some effects or not. If you want to know the truth, however, there will be some effects.” He then attacked his critics, claiming they are “mucking around with our nation and wasting money.”
Trump’s repeated expressions of willingness to talks with North Korea is noteworthy as the outsider politician can reflect them on his foreign policy platforms, which will take concrete shape later, diplomatic watchers here said.
The U.S. Republicans have traditionally preferred policies to contain and pressurize foreign adversaries while Democrats tended to put the priority on settling problems through dialogue and negotiations, or so the theory has gone, the observer said. In reality, however, it often gets difficult to discern who’s who.
For example, it was the Republican George W. Bush administration that resumed the six-party talks to denuclearize the North while the Democratic Barack Obama administration has placed focus on pressure tactics under the pretext of “strategic patience.”
Meanwhile, North Korea, which initially downplayed the Republican runner’s comment as a vote-getter, has recently more turned more favorable to Trump’s stance.
In an article contributed to DPRK Today, a North Korean scholar praised Trump, calling him a “wise politician.”
Han Yong-mook, a North Korean expert on international politics, said, “In my opinion, there are many positive aspects to the Trump’s ‘inflammatory policies.’” Some of these positive aspects the article cited are Trump’s willingness to talk directly with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and his threat to pull out U.S. troops from South Korea if Seoul does not pay more for his national security.
The piece also called former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “dull Hillary” and slammed her Korean Peninsula policy.
“The president that U.S. citizens must vote for is not that full Hillary – who claimed to adopt the Iranian model to resolve nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula – but Trump, who spoke of holding a direct conversation with North Korea,” Han wrote.