Roundtable Solid steps needed on denuclearization

By Yi Whan-woo

Denuclearization has been at the top of the priority list when it came to inter-Korean talks.

But it is not sufficient to explain why reaching an agreement, or if not, at least laying the groundwork for denuclearization, will be will be critical when President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meet on April 27.

Failure will not only dampen the recent reconciliatory mood between the two Koreas, but also worsen security on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea carried out a series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests and U.S. President Trump threatened to attack the Kim regime.

The April 27 talks will be followed by Kim's summit with Trump, whose hawkish aides remain skeptical that Kim is “just buying time” to continue building nuclear missiles.

For Moon, failure would also mean losing Trump's trust that Moon can smooth the way for the North Korea-U.S. summit. Moon may jeopardize his “driver's seat” over security issues as well.

For Kim, failure would mean meeting Trump in extremely unfavorable circumstances.

It will not be helpful at all in lessening the chance of the U.S. strike on North Korea.

Trump showed what he is capable of if things do not go as he planned when the U.S., the U.K. and France launched more than 100 cruise missiles against chemical weapons facilities in Syria on Saturday.