The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'

  • 3

    S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high

  • 5

    K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran

  • 7

    BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D'

  • 9

    4 in 10 Koreans experience overdue wages: survey

  • 11

    The ethical issues of AI: fighting the right battles

  • 13

    Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil.

  • 15

    Tanghulu captures hearts of Korean millennials and Gen Z

  • 17

    Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars

  • 19

    An American high school experience in Seoul

  • 2

    Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China

  • 4

    China's 'batwoman' scientist warns another coronavirus outbreak is 'highly likely'

  • 6

    Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer

  • 8

    Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory

  • 10

    Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation

  • 12

    Lee Jae-myung's possible arrest looms over main opposition party

  • 14

    Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy

  • 16

    LG Chem to build LFP cathode plant with Huayou in Morocco

  • 18

    PHOTOSHarvest season arrives

  • 20

    Russian FM to visit Pyongyang next month as follow-up to Kim-Putin summit

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Tue, September 26, 2023 | 13:56
Guest Column
ROUNDTABLETrump to force N. Korea to choose: nukes or survival
Posted : 2017-03-06 15:28
Updated : 2017-03-07 10:39
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Park Jin, center, three-term lawmaker who headed the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee and now chairman of the Korean-American Association, poses with a group of The Korea Times' columnists ― from left, Andrew Salmon; Casey Lartigue Jr.; Michael Breen and Chief Editorial Writer Oh Young-jin before starting the roundtable discussion on how to best handle the North Korea challenge at the Times in downtown Seoul, last week. Don Kirk, also a Times' columnist later joined the discussion as well. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Park Jin, center, three-term lawmaker who headed the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee and now chairman of the Korean-American Association, poses with a group of The Korea Times' columnists ― from left, Andrew Salmon; Casey Lartigue Jr.; Michael Breen and Chief Editorial Writer Oh Young-jin before starting the roundtable discussion on how to best handle the North Korea challenge at the Times in downtown Seoul, last week. Don Kirk, also a Times' columnist later joined the discussion as well. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk


By Park Jin


It is clear that the advent of the Trump administration will have a substantial impact on Asia and the Korean peninsula. Above all, Washington's perceived new pro-Russia and anti-China policies will introduce a geopolitical shift in Asia.

President Trump's "America First" foreign policy is likely to push for increased defense burden sharing from its allies in Asia, including Korea and Japan, as well as causing trade conflicts with China. Plus, protectionist policies to keep US jobs will also call for a review of free trade agreements with countries such as Korea.

While the US and China are anticipating tough negotiations in the areas of trade, currency and geopolitical issues, North Korea's security threats are becoming an urgent policy priority for the Trump administration.

Under the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and test-fired around 30 missiles in 2016, and in addition to testing a game-changing Intermediate-range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) propelled by solid fuel in February, the regime is now suspected of assassinating Kim Jong-nam, Kim Jong-un's estranged half-brother using a highly toxic VX nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur International Airport last month.

Trump vs. Kim Jong-un
2017-03-06 15:50
. Park Jin
Dark work, well done: killing Kim Jong-nam
2017-03-06 15:39
. Park Jin
NK's best option
2017-03-06 15:41
. Park Jin
For accurate story in NK, wait until reunification
2017-03-06 15:43  |  Donald Kirk
. Park Jin
Killing fails to scare N. Korean defectors
2017-03-06 15:44  |  Casey Lartigue, Jr.
President Trump has already warned that he would take a tough stance towards North Korea's growing nuclear missile capabilities, describing them as "very dangerous and very unacceptable." North Korea's belligerent Kim Jong-un regime claims that preparations for launching an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) have reached the final stages. Under these circumstances, the Trump administration appears to be willing to discard the Obama administration's passive "strategic patience" policy towards North Korea in favor of a hard-line policy. If there is no change in North Korea's attitude, an already strained North Korea-U.S. relationship is further expected to stagnate under the Trump administration.

Currently, the Trump administration's North Korea policy is under review in Washington. One can imagine that President Trump will consider various policy options including increased sanctions and pressure on the one hand, and dialogue and negotiation on the other to deal with North Korea's blatant security threats. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson mentioned during his confirmation hearing in Congress that "the United States should keep all options on the table, from the threat of military force to the willingness to remain open to diplomacy" regarding North Korea.

Initially, President Trump could choose to embolden sanctions by ousting North Korea from global financial networks in cooperation with South Korea and Japan, and strengthen the U.S. military posture in and around the Korean peninsula and the Western Pacific to pressure Pyongyang to halt its ambitious nuclear and missile programs. The Trump administration may force North Korea to choose between nuclear weapons or regime survival.

The hurried visit by the Secretary of Defense James Mattis to Korea upon his taking office testifies to the Trump government's strong commitment to Korean security and a determination to take a tough stance towards the North. In Seoul Secretary Mattis promised an "effective and overwhelming" response to any use of nuclear weapons in his firm remarks aimed at North Korea.

President Trump will also attempt to exert added pressure on China, such as imposing secondary sanctions on Chinese companies dealing with North Korea, to persuade Pyongyang to refrain from its increasingly aggressive behavior. In theory, a preemptive strike against North Korea's strategic assets is an available military option in the case of an imminent attack on U.S. territory. In practice, however, it is an extremely risky option because the North's counterattack would cause tremendous casualties and destruction in South Korea and also Japan.

Alternatively, the Trump administration could explore to open a dialogue with North Korea as well as maintaining sanctions on Pyongyang. President Trump is obviously upset with North Korea's hostile brinkmanship, but he indicated that he would "never say no" to dialogue with Kim Jong-un. President Trump is a renowned negotiator and skillful deal maker in business and this pragmatic approach could be applied to North Korea in the form of a "grand bargain" through carefully negotiated gives and takes. The minimum requirements for such a serious dialogue with North Korea would be Pyongyang's expressed willingness to stop its provocations, and a voluntary freeze on its nuclear and missile programs. But for now, North Korea would ask for its de facto nuclear state status in exchange for freezing nuclear development, which is why a dialogue between North Korea and the United States seems unlikely. In any case, there is no question that North Korea's nuclear missile issue poses a most direct and imminent security challenge that the Korea-U.S. alliance has to tackle urgently with a combined resolve and close policy coordination despite the ongoing leadership crisis in Seoul.


Park Jin served three terms as National Assembly lawmaker and led the National Assembly foreign affairs and unification committee. He now works as chairman of the Korean-American Association.


 
miguel
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
14 in 10 Koreans experience overdue wages: survey 4 in 10 Koreans experience overdue wages: survey
2Tanghulu captures hearts of Korean millennials and Gen Z Tanghulu captures hearts of Korean millennials and Gen Z
3[PHOTOS] Harvest season arrives PHOTOSHarvest season arrives
4K-pop fans rally in Seoul against luxury brands' failure on climate action K-pop fans rally in Seoul against luxury brands' failure on climate action
5Korean gov't faces international criticism for R&D budget cuts Korean gov't faces international criticism for R&D budget cuts
6LG Uplus, Hanwha develop ceiling-mounted EV charging system LG Uplus, Hanwha develop ceiling-mounted EV charging system
7[EXCLUSIVE] Lawmakers to submit resolution urging China to free N. Korean escapees EXCLUSIVELawmakers to submit resolution urging China to free N. Korean escapees
8SK earthon begins crude oil production in South China Sea SK earthon begins crude oil production in South China Sea
9Main opposition chief in showdown with prosecutors over arrest Main opposition chief in showdown with prosecutors over arrest
10Homeplus' private brand products hit store shelves in Mongolia Homeplus' private brand products hit store shelves in Mongolia
Top 5 Entertainment News
1K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran
2BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D' BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D'
3Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK
4[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince' INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'
5[INTERVIEW] Yim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston' INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

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
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group