Why is Trump Actively Pushing for US-North Korea Talks?

[Anchor]

Let us continue our discussion with political reporter Kim Ayeong.

Q. Why is Trump actively pushing for US-North Korea talks?

[Reporter Kim Ayeong: Given the domestic political timeline in the U.S., President Trump is facing a tough midterm election in November, which puts him in a position where he needs the stepping stone of diplomatic achievements. There is no viable exit strategy yet to quickly extricate himself from the quagmire of the Iran nuclear issue, which is drawing harsh domestic criticism in the U.S., and some analyze that he is trying to shift this attention toward the North Korean nuclear issue. In a way, he has pulled back out the US-North Korea dialogue card that came close to success during his first term. Around the midterm elections, a US-China summit in September and an APEC summit in November are lined up. Some analyze that remarks such as 'North Korea has 57 nuclear weapons' are a strategy to raise attention by first re-awakening the international community to the 'North Korean risk' and then making it appear as though he is presenting a diplomatic solution. On the other hand, whenever asked to talk about denuclearization, North Korea keeps pulling back, right? He is hinting that if they respond to his proposal, he might not talk about that issue, while also dangling an incentive as if he will create an opportunity for them to be recognized as a 'nuclear-armed state' by the international community. For Trump, there seems to be an expectation that simply trading a freeze on the current level of North Korea's nuclear program and the easing of sanctions through words rather than force could earn him domestic and international praise that this is different from the war in Iran.]

Q. North Korea leaving the door for dialogue slightly open... What is Kim Jong Un's strategy?

[Reporter Kim Ayeong: From North Korea's perspective, there is nothing particularly bad about current developments; some even analyze it, somewhat exaggeratedly, as a 'win-win hand.' Unlike early this year, when U.S. military power shook the international community through 'arrests, decapitations, and wars' that extended to Venezuela and Iran, Trump is now deeply entangled in the quagmire of the Iran war and busy trying to find an exit strategy. Meanwhile, North Korea has solidly cemented its close ties with Russia through the Russia-Ukraine war, and with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea in June. What North Korea aims to gain next will likely be the focus, and removing the denuclearization issue is cited first. Although Trump has referred to them as a nuclear-armed state, the U.S. White House and State Department are still talking about North Korea's denuclearization on the other hand. North Korea will demand that this pressure be abandoned. Furthermore, if they can elicit an instruction from President Trump himself to completely halt the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills, which North Korea considers a symbol of hostility against the North, it would be ideal for North Korea. They are also taking issue with South Korea's introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, and they could pressure the U.S. to halt their introduction. The National Intelligence Service has revealed that even during President Trump's surprise meeting proposal in October of last year, North Korea made preparations behind the scenes. This time, too, they must have drawn up various scenarios and begun making preparations.]

Q. Is South Korea being sidelined? What are our government's concerns?

[Reporter Kim Ayeong: While the government self-proclaims its role as a 'pacemaker,' the U.S. and North Korea are still testing the waters on whether to start the race or not, so there does not seem to be much room to play that role yet. Unlike in the past, there is a possibility that the U.S. and North Korea might bypass us and head straight to the negotiating table. This makes coordination between South Korea and the U.S. all the more important. The government has proposed a three-stage solution consisting of the suspension, reduction, and dismantling of North Korea's nuclear program. The government's strategy is to facilitate that process from the side as a 'pacemaker,' and President Lee Jae-myung expressing praise and paying tribute to President Trump's decision, as well as Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young attaching significance to the notion that the first gateway to halting North Korea's nuclear program is ultimately a meeting between the U.S. and North Korea, are both extensions of this role theory.]

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