Friday’s summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in looks to have been a dramatic success. The talks culminated in agreements to work together toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and to pursue a deal with the United States formally ending the Korean War.
The Korean War began in 1950, and an armistice was signed in 1953. No peace deal to end the war ever happened, however. The two nations agreed in their joint goals to try to finalize an ending to the war within the next year. This would end generations of war, and greatly calm tensions in the region.
An upcoming Kim-Trump summit,planned for either late May or early June, is expected to focus heavily on eliminating nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has a small nuclear arsenal, and while South Korea does not, they have at times hosted US nuclear arms.
These were the goals always expected to be discussed at Friday’s historic summit. Ending the Korean War was always seen as a complicated matter that’s going to take a lot of extra discussions to work out. Today’s announcement, however, shows both sides are committed to it. Kim confirmed at the end of the summit that the war is “over”and that a new era of peace has begun.
Specifics still need to be worked out, including the presumptive dismantling of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and normalization of relations. This includes the possibility of having actual borders and the ability of Koreans to visit relatives on either side of the border. All this will be sorted out in additional talks over the next year.
Compared to this, denuclearization may be a lot more straightforward. The big issue to be sorted out there is for North Korea to be assured they won’t be attacked by the US once they give up their nuclear deterrent. With South Korea on board for the pact, this seems readily achievable, to the point that North Korea is no longer even seeking a US withdrawal of troops from South Korea.
Care is still needed as we know the USA has shown it cannot be trusted.
Smartest thing they could do, is ignore us, and work it out.
Hi Dave:
They could ignore ‘us’ if they had guarantees from other countries like China and Russia but that remains to be seen. That plus, the US has some thirty thousand troops planted in S. Korea.
I don’t know how this will all work out but I sincerely hope both Koreas will maintain the stamina they need to get the deal done, regardless of the unpredictable moves by the US.
peace-dv
Remember that peace dividend when the Soviet Union was dismantled and we promised that NATO would not be expanded eastward “not even one inch”?
Seems to me China already gave N Korea a guarantee . “If you start a war we will not lift a figure to help you . If some one attacks you we will help you ” . That sounds fair enough to me .
KEEP YOUR NUKES, KIM
The party has gone ‘prompt global strike’ tech; tough for NK to stay relevant with ICBMs.
If China meant what they said N Korea is better protected after denuclearization than they could ever have dreamed . China and Russia partnered after NATO destroyed Yugoslavia . What Russia has China has . And Russia has some of the fastest trickiest ICBMs in the world . Kim and N Korea are as safe as a bug in a rug . Trump will be able to make peace in N Korea .
‘If’ in a geopolitical context is quite a qualifier.
Most American are praying for N Korea’s success including president Trump . There are probably more communists in the western democracies than the so called communist world . The former communist have about had their fill of communism ruled by mortal men .
Hopeful news but I’ll believe the peace is real when the ink is allowed to dry on a signed peace treaty.
What the USA may not guess is little Rocket man is going to be a lot more popular in South Korea than even Donald Trump But that’s just fine after all he is Korean .