Do Je-hae edits news stories as part of the AI team.
NK-set expiration of nuclear talks approaching
This undated photo provided Wednesday by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju riding horses during a visit to Mount Paektu. AP-Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
US, NK engaging in war of words ahead of year end
Tension between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is escalating ahead of the "year-end deadline" proposed by Kim for a breakthrough in the two countries' denuclearization talks.
With the deadline swiftly approaching, Washington and Pyongyang are urging each other to make concessions to resume bilateral negotiations. Trump, who has often boasted of his “great relations” with the North Korean leader, has mentioned the possibility of “use of force,” in an apparent threat to get Pyongyang to show more concrete actions toward dismantling its nuclear program.
Trump's latest strong warning to Kim has triggered concerns about renewed tension between the two foes of the Korean War in the absence of a real breakthrough by the end of the year.
The U.S. leader also used the term “rocket man,” which was used when bilateral relations were strained after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICMB) in 2017. Trump refrained from using the derogatory term in 2018 after he launched summit diplomacy with the North Korean leader.
Analysts said that bringing back the term reflects Washington's frustrations toward Pyongyang's rigid position that there will be no progress in denuclearization steps without the easing of sanctions against the impoverished country. Kim has been stressing the need for independent measures to salvage its economy amid the prolonged economic isolation.
"Now we have the most powerful military we've ever had and we're by far the most powerful country in the world," Trump was quoted as saying while on his way to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in London. "And, hopefully, we don't have to use it, but if we do, we'll use it. If we have to, we'll do it.”
Trump's remarks came shortly after a statement Tuesday by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Ri Thae-song who threatened Washington, saying that it was up to the U.S. what kind of a “Christmas gift” it would receive.
The statement blamed the U.S. for the stalled talks between the two leaders since their failed summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February that collapsed without any agreement on denuclearization. Since then, Pyongyang has continued to fire short-range missiles.
Washington recently beefed up surveillance of the Korean Peninsula, with the RQ-4 Global Hawk expected to be deployed later this month. North Korea has resisted the deployment of the aircraft that is equipped with 24-hour reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
“The DPRK has done its utmost with maximum perseverance not to backtrack from the important steps it has taken on its own initiative. What is left to be done now is the U.S.'s choice and it is entirely up to the U.S. what Christmas gift it will choose to receive,” Ri said. On Tuesday, Kim visited the symbolic Mount Paektu area. The North Korean leader has visited the site before an important decision.
Some analysts have shown concern that the U.S may go back to its hostile policy of “fire and fury” soon.
“North Korea's foreign ministry statements have suggested military provocation if the U.S. does not make concessions by the end of the year,” said Shin Beom-chul, senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, in a media interview Wednesday.
“The U.S. is aware that it is as important to maintain deterrence as it is to continue dialogue based on previous Singapore summits and agreements. That's why the reconnaissance flights have been increased. If this trend continues, we can't rule out the possibility of military tension starting at the end of this year or early next year.”
The rising tension between the U.S. and North is placing President Moon Jae-in in a more difficult position as his push for the “peace process” is unable to bear fruit without real progress in U.S.-North Korea relations.
Moon started the second half of his five-year presidency last month without much to celebrate, but said that the progress in relations with North Korea was something that he prided himself on during a recently televised town hall meeting.
“If the third North Korea-U.S. summit is held, there will certainly be results, this will create room for improvement in inter-Korean relations," the South Korean leader said.
Cheong Wa Dae has remained hopeful for a third Trump-Kim summit, saying that the entire process of negotiations has yet to be shut down completely despite the occasional setbacks. But such perceptions show a discrepancy with public sentiment, which is increasingly turning negative toward Moon's policy focusing on engagement that is seen to have been insufficient in extracting fundamental changes from North Korea.
Moon recently suffered embarrassment when Kim openly snubbed his invitation to attend the Korea-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Commemorative Summit that concluded in Busan, Nov. 26.
The haughty reaction showed there will be no reciprocal visit by the North Korean leader to the South in the near future. Moon had said after their meeting in Pyongyang in September 2018 that Kim would pay a visit to the South soon.