Brushing off the Kims

The month of May was rich in attention to North Korea. Endless words, statements, reports, negotiations, summits, speculation and speculation are all without results. Washington does not dare to put a "comma," without fear of consequences. "Paper Tiger" - this is what the Chinese said about the United States, until they opened their market for Chinese goods.

Author: Vladimir Ivanov, 26 May 2021 08:07

And a small country - the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) - formed north of the 38th parallel on the Korean Peninsula as a result of World War II, liberation from Japanese occupation and the war of Chinese volunteers with the US Army in 1950-53, went a different way, relying on its own forces. And for several years now, as the sanctioned DPRK has declared itself the owner of nuclear weapons, the correspondent of The Moscow Post reports.

North Korea conducted a series of nuclear tests, regularly launches missiles. This happens under the conditions of a brutal trade and economic blockade, strict measures to regulate domestic life, under the press of a military confrontation with the armed forces of the United States and South Korea. All under the leadership of three leaders - the founder of the dynasty, Kim Il Sung, his son Kim Jung Il and the current living grandson Kim Jong-un.

Trump's legacy

The administration of democrats is forced to continue to deal with a problem of nuclear missile capacity of the DPRK. There are more than enough reasons for this, including relations of inter-party competition. Donald Trump met three times with the North Korean leader, but did not achieve success.

In June 2018, the first ever summit of the United States and the DPRK was held in Singapore, following its results a joint document was adopted. Pyongyang committed itself to denuclearization in exchange for security guarantees from Washington. In February 2019, the second summit was held in Hanoi. Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un could not come to agreements and did not sign a joint document. In June 2019, the third meeting took place in the demilitarized zone on the border of the DPRK and the Republic of Korea.

In a sense, North Korea has become a kind of "political mountaineering" for American secretaries of state and presidents. Every new head of the White House dreams of conquering the "peak of the DPRK," but so far without visible success. The Biden administration has also begun preparations for the ascent.

In April, the United States informed the world that they were developing a "new approach" to the DPRK. The White House decided to no longer tolerate "strategic" uncertainty and not wait for a "big deal" with Pyongyang. The deal, which Biden's predecessor naively dreamed of, involved North Korea's simultaneous nuclear disarmament in exchange for lifting sanctions.

Hopes have not been postponed, their verbal shell has been changed. Biden recently announced plans to "liberate" the DPRK from its nuclear missile arsenals at a press conference with President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in.

The White House also warned that it was going to simultaneously pursue a course to deter Pyongyang. This, so as not to forget that about 28 thousand elite units of the US Armed Forces, stationed in South Korea, still erase Pyongyang. In terms of the number of statements about "deterrence," North Korea can compete with Russia.

But in the case of North Korea, Washington is more brave and says that it is ready to use all capabilities, including nuclear, conventional weapons and missile defense means - all to counter threats from the DPRK. This is stated in a joint statement circulated by the Pentagon by representatives of the US and South Korean military departments.

Nadedezhda dies last

Biden may not have a top-level dialogue with Pyongyang. Back in January 2020, the DPRK resolutely stated that it did not intend to comply with the agreements reached with the United States to suspend nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches. Moreover, Pyongyang harshly stated that "Washington ignored the deadline for nuclear negotiations" and decided to interrupt all contacts with Seoul, not to conduct bilateral negotiations with South Korea.

Washington so far has to start everything again, study the "material part" and think about what policies to implement. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the United States does not accept and should not accept Pyongyang's nuclear status. "We do not accept and should not [accept the nuclear status of the DPRK], but let's be honest: this is a difficult problem," he said.

Nadedezhda dies last

Diplomatic games without embassies

According to Washington, diplomacy and dialogue based on inter-Korean and US-North Korean commitments, including the Panmunjom Declaration of 2018 and the Singapore Joint Statement, form the basis for complete denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.

"We call on the international community, including the DPRK, to fully implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions," the joint statement by President Biden and South Korean leader Moon Jae In emphasizes.

As a result, Washington says it will maintain an economic sanctions regime against the DPRK until the complete elimination of its nuclear missile program. The North Korean authorities have already taken the position that the DPRK will give up nuclear weapons only in the context of complete and general nuclear disarmament and provided that firm security guarantees are provided. Pyongyang advocated a phased approach to the deal with the United States on the principle of "action in exchange for action."

In the meantime, Kwon Jeong-geun, director of the North American Department of the DPRK Foreign Ministry, commenting on Biden's speech to Congress in early May, called US policy hostile and promised retaliatory measures.

Laws of the game "by their rules"

Note: in 2017, Russia, together with Iran and North Korea, became the subject of the same document - "Law on Countering America's Opponents through Sanctions" (Public Law No.: 115-44 (08/02/2017).

This law expanded the sanctions already imposed on Russia, aimed at the sectors of the Russian economy and persons involved in human rights violations, the sale of weapons to Syria, and other activities detrimental to the national interests of the United States. The law distinguished itself by limiting the president's ability to soften the regime of anti-Russian sanctions.

The same law was designed to punish North Korea for its nuclear program, and Iran for its ballistic missile program and sponsorship of terrorism. It looks paradoxical, doesn't it?

Already "punished" by American lawmakers, the "rule violator" wants to see two other potential "victims" of Western interests and intentions in the team of driven people. And these "two" are presented as objects of common concern, including even the already "punished" under the same law.

Non-proliferation regime as a victim

It is clear that there is a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and that it is somehow "voluntary." India and Pakistan, for example, have never been included or included in this treaty. The DPRK was among the countries parties to the treaty, and withdrew from the NPT, and was going to join again, but changed her mind.

The reality of today is that the DPRK possesses nuclear weapons. Nuclear status is included in the constitution and the topic seems no longer to be discussed. This is of general concern. Everyone is concerned, including Russia and China. But, as they say, there are nuances. For example, the UK's strategic nuclear forces not only exist, but according to London's plans they will have to build up. Do the US or France worry about the prospects for this build-up?

Being on the borders of Russia and China, North Korea, with its nuclear potential, Beijing and Moscow are worried, but not frightening. It is truly frightening that the DPRK could become a target for a strike by US conventional and nuclear weapons. And the question is not even what Washington is doing to find a way out of the situation of "neither peace nor war."

The solution literally "lies" where Donald Trump recently visited - on the demarcation line between North and South. And "put" this decision on its feet, Washington never wanted to help Seoul and Pyongyang normalize relations. On the contrary, he did everything so that this would not happen! And the NPT under the press of all that has already happened.