ed Give talk a chance

A person is not deceived who knows he is being deceived.

North Korea has repeatedly made military provocations, turned to dialogue and won diplomatic concessions and economic aid. So it would be easy for allies to ridicule and spurn Pyongyang’s offer on Sunday for direct talks with the United States as just the latest of these numerous cycles.

And so it seems indeed. It doesn’t take diplomatic experts to see through what analysts describe as the North’s “dialogue offensive” aimed at avoiding its diplomatic isolation, coming right after the summit between the U.S. and China and just prior to one between China and South Korea.

The content of its offer deepens skepticism among foreigners even further. Instead of making any specific proposals to rein in its nuclear programs, the North’s statement calls for a denuclearization of the entire Korean Peninsula, meaning Washington should take its nuclear umbrella away from South Korea. Its offer to discuss a nuclear-free world through mutual disarmament even smacks of megalomania.

The North’s latest proposal is not without something new: it reemphasized the need for denuclearization, going back to before this January when Pyongyang ceased to even pretend to pursue that goal. But that would hardly be enough.

As expected, Washington demanded that the communist regime take some trustworthy actions first instead of trying to talk its way out of the crisis with “nice words.” President Barack Obama had a telephone conversation with his South Korean counterpart Monday, in which the two leaders might have reconfirmed their concerted stance against Pyongyang’s peace offensive. Officials in Seoul may no longer have to worry about Washington’s direct dealing with Pyongyang while bypassing Seoul.

The U.S. message to the North ― or even China, in the Park-Xi summit next week ― could be to have some talks with Seoul first.

However, if President Park thinks it a diplomatic victory for South Korea and herself, it will be a temporary and ostensible one at best. To make it a lasting and fundamental victory, Park must pursue brisk dialogue with the North instead of unduly adhering to principles or quibbling over the rank of negotiators from both sides. The president was only half right when she said, “Form dominates content.” True, creating content without form is blind, but form without contents is empty. The shorter the impasse in inter-Korean dialogue, the better.

During her stay in Beijing, the Korean leader is expected to ask her Chinese counterpart to help dialogue between the Koreas. Actually, this is something that President Park can solve by herself if only she is sufficiently determined and prepared. What President Park should ask President Xi is to facilitate the North’s denuclearization even by bridging Washington and Pyongyang if need be.

For instance, China can persuade the U.S. to soften preconditions for talks, by remaining content for now with slowing down the pace of the North’s nuclear programs rather than freezing it altogether. In short, their short-term objective is to go back to February 2012 agreement.

The Obama administration has had few, if any, coherent North Korea policies except for its failed “strategic patience.” Looking back, however, Washington had the opportunity to nearly halt it in 14 years ago. The Democrat U.S. leader resembles his Republican rivals in too many ways, including North Korea policy. Obama must give the dialogue another chance.