The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
North Korea
Thu, June 30, 2022 | 01:08
China's role growing in North Korean denuclearization
Posted : 2021-07-05 08:47
Updated : 2021-07-05 18:17
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, bids farewell to Chinese President Xi Jinping at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang after the latter's visit to North Korea in this June 2019 photo. / Korea Times file
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, bids farewell to Chinese President Xi Jinping at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang after the latter's visit to North Korea in this June 2019 photo. / Korea Times file

Pyongyang seeking to boost ties with Beijing

By Kang Seung-woo

Amid a prolonged deadlock in North Korean denuclearization talks, diplomatic observers believe that China should play a critical role in resolving the impasse.

Efforts to address the decades-long issue have stalled since former U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un failed to produce a nuclear deal in Hanoi, Vietnam in February 2019.

Despite repeated dialogue offers by U.S. President Joe Biden, who took office in January, the reclusive country has been refusing to engage with the United States, increasing calls for Beijing to cooperate in dealing with Pyongyang.

"As North Korea believes that it can achieve economic development via cooperation with China, the North has been refusing to engage either the U.S. or South Korea," said Cheong Seong-chang, director of the Center for North Korean Studies at the Sejong Institute.

"In that respect, unless the U.S. musters China's support for a nuclear deal, it is not likely to get a successful agreement."

China is seen as the only country that can exert influence on North Korea, given that it is Pyongyang's biggest trading partner and the Kim regime's economic lifeline. In addition, the North Korean leader vowed to elevate relations with Beijing to a new strategic level in his congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping marking the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, Thursday.

In that respect, the South Korean and U.S. governments need to review expanding the denuclearization talks with North Korea into four-party talks that will include China, Cheong said.

"Given that North Korea needs China's cooperation in order to maintain its regime, the country will likely not reject Beijing's demand to participate in the multilateral forum," he said.

The South Korean analyst is not the only expert to think about China's role in the negotiations.

"I believe China can play a key role in getting North Korea back to the negotiations," said Joseph DeTrani, a former U.S. special envoy to the six-party talks.

Citing its heavy economic dependence on China, DeTrani also said in his recent contribution to 38 North, a U.S.-based website specializing in the North Korean regime, "It succeeded in convincing North Korea to join the six-party talks in 2003 and may be able to encourage North Korea to sit down again with the U.S. and resume denuclearization talks in return for security assurances and an eventual path to normal relations."

The six-party talks, established in 2003 as a multilateral forum to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, was composed of China, Japan, Russia, the U.S. and the two Koreas, but they have been suspended since 2008.

"This should be a priority for Beijing, to help prevent the potential for conflict on the Korean Peninsula and as an overture to the U.S. and others who may doubt Beijing's commitment to the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he added.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, bids farewell to Chinese President Xi Jinping at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang after the latter's visit to North Korea in this June 2019 photo. / Korea Times file
President Moon Jae-in talks with U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit in Washington, D.C., May 21. Yonhap

Christopher Hill, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and top U.S. envoy to the six-party talks, admitted that the U.S. cannot address the problem alone, floating the need for a multilateral approach.

"We need other countries to be engaged and other countries who have a substantial interest in a positive outcome," he said in a webinar, June 25, jointly hosted by the Universal Peace Federation and Washington Times Foundation.

"After all, the North Korean state, to a great extent, it owes its very existence to China. And so, China, I think it is fair to say, has leverage with North Korea. Perhaps they don't have as much leverage as some American observers suggest they do, but they certainly have more leverage than they suggest that they do," Hill said.

During his first visit to Seoul in March, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also hoped that China would use its "tremendous influence" to urge North Korea to give up its nuclear program, citing China's unique relationship with the North.


Emailksw@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG
LG
  • Bodies found in missing family's car in Wando
  • Korea looks to Europe to diversify trade partners as China's growth slows
  • [INTERVIEW] 'Asia-Pacific region has potential to lead global decarbonization sector'
  • How I lost my period after shooting my first 'body profile'
  • Yoon, first lady attend gala dinner hosted by King of Spain
  • Luna collapse causes chaos
  • Inflation expectations in S. Korea hit 10-year high in June
  • South Korea's new COVID-19 cases back up over 10,000 after 20 days
  • Korea's first NATO summit to show expanded global role: experts
  • ASEAN F&B industry eyes sustainable market in Korea
  • [INTERVIEW] With unusual nicknames and backgrounds, MIRAE eyes becoming next big K-pop star [INTERVIEW] With unusual nicknames and backgrounds, MIRAE eyes becoming next big K-pop star
  • [INTERVIEW] Jean-Michel Othoniel's glass garden of enchantment 'is for everybody' [INTERVIEW] Jean-Michel Othoniel's glass garden of enchantment 'is for everybody'
  • Girl group aespa to perform in 'Good Morning America' 2022 Summer Concert Series Girl group aespa to perform in 'Good Morning America' 2022 Summer Concert Series
  • Park Hae-il 'honored' to play war hero Admiral Yi Sun-sin in 'Hansan' Park Hae-il 'honored' to play war hero Admiral Yi Sun-sin in 'Hansan'
  • BTS' J-Hope to prerelease 'More' Friday BTS' J-Hope to prerelease 'More' Friday
DARKROOM
  • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000 [PHOTOS]

    Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000 [PHOTOS]

  • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

  • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

  • Poor hit harder by economic crisis

    Poor hit harder by economic crisis

  • Roland Garros 2022

    Roland Garros 2022

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group