We Can’t Entrust Mercurial Trump with the Future of the Korean Peninsula

The de facto U.S. Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, claims he has “no problem” with meeting the chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Kim Jong Un. This clearly means something, given the fact that the Obama administration has been constantly refusing North Korea’s proposals for peace talks, using “strategic patience” as an excuse. According to foreign media, Yang Hyeong-seop, the North Korean vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, has also responded that “such will be a favorable turn of things.” The problem is that behind this proposed dialogue is Trump, who has called Chairman Kim Jong Un a “maniac.” “I would get China to make that guy disappear in one form or another very quickly,” Trump has said, claiming that the “bad dude” faces a fate worse than assassination. Let’s not forget Trump that has no experience with security and foreign affairs. It’s frightening to think this mercurial man, who can’t even remember what came out of his own mouth, may be elected president and exert control over the Korean peninsula. Trump should put forth a consistent and clear stance that shows his priorities for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

Trump is a formidable candidate, having emerged with a 3 percent lead over the de facto Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, in a public opinion poll. The North Korean nuclear issue is expected to emerge at the top of the diplomatic agenda for the next U.S. administration, which will take office early next year. Naturally, we need to build a network with the U.S. presidential candidates and determine their dispositions. However, in order to avoid balancing the future of the Korean Peninsula on the results of the U.S. presidential election, South Korea should lead inter-Korean relations by designing a solution to the nuclear issue based on dialogue, negotiation and the persuasion of neighboring countries. Depending on the U.S. and focusing solely on sanctioning North Korea can’t free us from being impressionable and easily controlled by what Hillary and Trump say.