America Is Delaying Resolution of the North Korean Nuclear Problem

Joint talks featuring the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany and Iran reached a historic agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear problem on July 14. This agreement proved that discussions are an effective way to resolve differences; it also made one think that resolving the Iran issue could be helpful in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue too.

In the Iran nuclear talks, America’s role was pivotal, exerting the maximum amount of effort. The American government actively negotiated in the Iran nuclear talks, and made an effort to coordinate with China while also respecting many of Iran’s reasonable demands, especially with regard to developing nuclear power plants.

However, when it comes to North Korea’s nuclear problem, America is still acting passively. In the past, America and North Korea have made some contact via the New York channel. But as of two years ago, America stopped contacting North Korea altogether, and even rejected some voluntary contact from North Korea. When the American government allowed the movie "The Interview" to be released, it was seen as a serious insult to North Korean leadership, and the two countries’ relationship entered a highly confrontational stage. The American and South Korean military also held targeted military exercises, such as those with anti-nuclear submarines as a focus; this kind of attack-oriented attitude made North Korea feel further threatened. American tactics not only did not ease the situation, but in fact worsened it in the Korean Peninsula.

In the last two years, America has not actively communicated with other countries about the North Korean nuclear problem, especially not with China. The American delegation leader, who was in charge of the six-party talks, only notified China about the U.S.-Japan-South Korea talks after first communicating with Japan and South Korea.* Nor did America try to renew the six-party talks. As of now, America still acknowledges that these talks are the most important mechanism for solving the North Korean nuclear problem and supports the discussions, which matches China’s stance.

After the Iranian nuclear problem is resolved, the international community should speed up solving the North Korean nuclear problem. Because of America’s passive attitude, and the unsuccessful diplomacy North Korea has had with Southeast Asia, the European Union and Russia in recent years, North Korea may become even more isolated from the international community. North Korea has disregarded China’s stern stance and discouragement of nuclear testing and continued forward. It may be accelerating development of nuclear weapons right now because it wants to engage with the world as a nuclear-enabled country. If America continues to neither contact nor acknowledge North Korea, the country may very well succeed and make the anti-nuclear efforts in the Korean Peninsula more difficult.

Israel has made America treat the Iran problem as a high priority. America is well aware of the North Korean nuclear issue, its threat to the international community and its own safety, which is why it has adjusted its North Korean policies. The North Korean nuclear problem is an urgent one. This year, many grain-producing areas in North Korea have greatly reduced their output, and the subsequent seawater encroachment would bring almost irreversible losses to the area; signs of famine are imminent. This is a good opportunity for the international community to lend help to North Korea. America should take action, stop giving North Korea the silent treatment, and re-establish contact with the country, especially in renewing the humanitarian aid during the six-party talks. The measure will contribute toward restarting the six-party talks and an earlier resolution of the North Korean nuclear problem.

The author is a researcher at the Liaoning Province Korean Peninsula Research Institute

*Editor’s note: The six-party talks, launched in 2003, are aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear program through negotiations involving China, the United States, North and South Korea, Japan and Russia.