North Korea Talks Postponed, South Korean FM Cites Busy Schedule

Haley says North Koreans just aren't ready to talk

Talks between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korea’s Kim Yong Chol, previously announced to be held this week, have been postponed indefinitely. There are conflicting reports as to why.

South Korean FM Kang Kyung-hwa confirmed the postponement, saying that a “tight schedule” made it impossible for the two to get together. US Ambassador Nikki Haley, on the other hand, said it was all the North Koreans’ fault, and that they “weren’t ready” for talks.

The lack of specificity about what happened has raised speculation among analysts that this reflects a growing divide between the two sides. Diplomacy has been stumbling between the US and North Korea, and there are substantial topics of disagreement that are threatening the process.

In addition to usual talks, this week’s meeting was meant to include discussions on setting up another Trump-Kim summit. Those two made a lot of progress in their last meeting, and have agreed on the idea of meeting again, without having ironed out the specifics.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press. View all posts by Jason Ditz

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4 thoughts on “North Korea Talks Postponed, South Korean FM Cites Busy Schedule”

Humayun Sheikh says:

November 9, 2018 at 2:12 am

“‘US Ambassador Nikki Haley, on the other hand, said it was all the North Koreans’ fault, and that they “weren’t ready” for talks”‘.
Poor Nikki Haley, through her record, even if by mistake, she speaks The Truth, she (Nikki Haley) is always considered As A Despicable Liar.
Don Bacon says:

November 9, 2018 at 7:43 am

In June, President Trump and Chairman Kim committed to the the establishment of new U.S.-DPRK relations, and Kim agreed to to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. In September SecState Pompeo announced that “the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations.” But despite DPRK positive actions there has been no effort on the part of the US to end the war or reduce sanctions.

Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit (extract)

Convinced that the establishment of new U.S.-DPRK relations will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and of the world, and recognizing that mutual confidence building can promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un state the following:
The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. . .here

Press Statement
Michael R. Pompeo
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
September 19, 2018

We welcome President Moon and Chairman Kim’s reaffirmation of the Singapore joint statement of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, including the permanent dismantlement of all facilities at Yongbyon in the presence of U.S. and IAEA inspectors.
We also welcome Chairman Kim’s decision to complete the previously announced dismantlement of the Tongchang-ri site in the presence of U.S. and international inspectors as a step toward the final fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, as agreed by Chairman Kim at the Singapore summit with President Trump.
On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations. . .here
Don Bacon says:

November 11, 2018 at 6:37 am

from The Korea Times, the US-commanded United Nations Command is stalling progress on Korea rail links.

. . .The budget was drawn up at a time when the project has been put on hold as the Koreas have yet to conduct inspections on train tracks in the North. This is because the United Nations Command, which is in charge of approving personnel and equipment crossing the military demarcation line (MDL), has barred South Koreans from crossing to survey the North’s transport infrastructure.
This is due to the fact that a South Korean train carrying oil needs to cross the MDL. The United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea ban this. Resolution 2397 states “all member states shall prohibit the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to North Korea, through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels, aircraft, pipelines, rail lines, or vehicles, of all refined petroleum products.
…The U.S. has maintained its stance that sanctions will not be eased until North Korea achieves denuclearization.
The Koreas had planned for the inspection of the North’s rail lines to take place in August, but this remains postponed.
The inspections would need to take place this month if the groundbreaking ceremony for the project to connect the railways were to take place in late November or early December, as the Koreas agreed to at a high-level meeting last month.
Meanwhile, a unification ministry official said Thursday the government “was making preparations so the groundbreaking ceremony can take place as agreed.”. . .here

https://i1.wp.com/pds.joins.com/jmnet/koreajoongangdaily/_data/photo/2015/01/28065624.jpg?zoom=2&resize=600%2C397
Don Bacon says:

November 11, 2018 at 6:51 am

commmentary on sanctions relief
Nov 7, 2018
How to Structure Sanctions Relief in Any Future DPRK Deal

US-DPRK negotiations on denuclearization have thus far yielded little by way of practical sanctions relief for nuclear concessions. The North Koreans have demolished parts of its nuclear weapons test site, offered to dismantle the Tongchang-ri rocket engine test stand and launch platform, and expressed a willingness to permanently dismantle the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon if the US takes corresponding measures.
…It is here, however, that the apparent disconnect between US and South Korean negotiating approaches is potentially so problematic: the South Koreans have already made commitments on some of the sanctions relief that might have been easily included in a package in exchange for steps at Yongbyon. Restarting Kaesong, for example, as well as the Mt. Kumgang Tourism Project could have been presented to North Korea as part of an integrated package with steps by the United States, such as agreeing to license transactions that might facilitate these projects and avoiding actions that would impede foreign businesses interested in participating in them. The same could be said of reconnecting rail and road lines between the two Koreas. Such concrete deliverables are invaluable for initial stages of sanctions relief, proving both the commitment and the ability to make good on promises of sanctions relief. For this reason, the announcement of a US-ROK working group to better coordinate approaches to North Korea is welcome. . .here

S. Korea, U.S. to launch working group on N. Korea
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) — South Korea and the United States have agreed to launch a working group to improve coordination on their joint approach to North Korea, the U.S. State Department said Tuesday.
The agreement was reached during a trip to Seoul this week by U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun, according to the department’s deputy spokesperson, Robert Palladino. . . . here

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