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

    Family of 5 found dead in 3 separate locations

  • 3

    All-Korean showdowns set up on 1st day of medal race

  • 5

    Understanding Korean Modernization

  • 7

    Bears of Joseon part 1: Fanciful tales and deadly claws

  • 9

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

  • 11

    Exhibition for soldiers highlights North Korea's human rights abuses

  • 13

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

  • 15

    PM departs for China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

  • 17

    Top diplomats of Korea, Iran discuss bilateral ties following frozen funds transfer

  • 19

    Hangzhou Asian Games open after COVID-enforced delay

  • 2

    Xi says he will seriously consider visit to South Korea: official

  • 4

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

  • 6

    Opposition party leader ends 24-day hunger strike for treatment

  • 8

    Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China

  • 10

    Sil-A overcomes stage fright, and them some

  • 12

    US finalizes national security 'guardrails' for CHIPS funding

  • 14

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

  • 16

    Historic NASA asteroid mission set for perilous return

  • 18

    Allies vow stern measures against Russia-NK arms deal

  • 20

    League of Legends, other esports join Asian Games in competition for first time

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
Mon, September 25, 2023 | 21:19
Times Forum
Roadmap for denuclearization
Posted : 2018-04-09 15:35
Updated : 2018-04-09 17:05
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Heo Mane

There are high expectations about the upcoming inter-Korean summit and another summit between Pyongyang and Washington. However, the summits may take a new turn and become more complicated after Kim Jong-un made a surprise visit to China to meet President Xi Jinping in a blitzkrieg manner late last month.

Beijing might have felt sidelined in the summitry toward denuclearization by Seoul, Pyongyang and Washington. Beijing seems to have closely watched the developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula since the South and the U.S. each agreed to hold a bilateral summit with North Korea, this month and next month respectively.

The government welcomed the Xi-Kim meeting as it is expected to improve strained Beijing-Pyongyang ties, which will subsequently have a positive effect on the North's denuclearization.

However, Kim may try to use the to-be-restored blood ties with China as leverage to boost his bargaining power at the summits with Moon and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Xi-Kim summit could also allow Beijing to play a bigger role in the denuclearization talks.

In this regard, there are some concerns that Kim may make efforts to weaken President Moon's role of taking the driver's seat in navigating toward the denuclearization of the North.

What effects will Kim's sudden visit to Beijing have on international efforts to make the North give up its nuclear program? How will it affect the upcoming summits?

Kim's diplomatic offensive might face serious challenges because the roadmap for denuclearization Seoul and Washington advocate is different from Pyongyang's.

Seoul's strategy appears to strike a comprehensive package deal with Pyongyang, while favoring step-by-step implementation of the deal. It is somewhat different from Washington's immediate and complete denuclearization of the North, which is similar to the Libyan-style denuclearization formula.

On the other hand, Kim Jong-un proposed a phased and simultaneous formula during his meeting with Xi. He apparently wants to take a step-by-step approach. It seems that Kim would like to demand rewards for each and every step it may take to scrap his nuclear arsenal. His formula could resemble salami tactics aimed at eliciting as many concessions from the U.S. and South Korea.

Trump, however, has called for a "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearization. He has made it clear that no reward is available until the North completes its denuclearization process. He has also repeatedly said that he will not repeat mistakes committed by the previous U.S. administrations over the past 25 years.

The Beijing-Pyongyang summit is likely to help Kim be better positioned for denuclearization talks with Seoul and Washington. Kim and Xi reaffirmed that China and North Korea have maintained the blood alliance which goes well beyond a mere military alliance. They implied that the two countries want to restore the old-time friendship under which China and North Korea were as close as lips and teeth.

Seoul and Washington are now faced with another player, China. Seoul and Washington has sought to tackle Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programs via the trilateral diplomacy involving the two Koreas and the U.S. South Korea has also floated the idea of holding a trilateral summit between Moon, Kim and Trump if the bilateral summits make a breakthrough.

Pyongyang is likely to make every effort to secure as many concessions as possible by engaging Beijing in the nuclear talks. By doing so, Kim can let the North obtain the status of a normal state. At the same time, he may try to weaken the Seoul-Washington alliance and demand the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the South, possibly later negotiations with America.

I hope President Moon's roadmap for comprehensive and synchronized denuclearization will be accepted as it aims to offer a dynamic and equitable solution to the issue. The roadmap will pursue the denuclearization of North Korea with reasonable compensations.

Traditionally, the U.S. contributed to containing the communist expansion and its challenges, including North Korea, ever since the end of World War II. Essentially, this is a series of status quo policy, not imperialistic ones. Nobody has viewed the U.S. status quo policy as imperialism.

Nevertheless, the Trump administration vividly remembers that a set of provocations from the Kim family have posed serious threats to peace on the Korean Peninsula, the U.S., and further the European Union.

The latest replacement of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser Herbert McMaster by more conservative and hawkish Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, respectively, signals that the Trump administration will not make mistakes anymore in seeking a solution to the North Korean issue. The reshuffle is raising concerns that Trump might shift to military options if his summit with Kim ends up in failure.

It remains to be seen how the upcoming summits will play out in finding a solution to the nuclear showdown.

Heo Mane (mane398@naver.com) is a professor emeritus and adviser of the Korea-EU Forum.




 
miguel
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China
2S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high
3Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer
4Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory
5Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation
6Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil. Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil.
7Lee Jae-myung's possible arrest looms over main opposition party Lee Jae-myung's possible arrest looms over main opposition party
8Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars
9LG Chem to build LFP cathode plant with Huayou in Morocco LG Chem to build LFP cathode plant with Huayou in Morocco
10Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[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'
2TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion
3BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D' BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D'
4K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling QuranK-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran
5Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK
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