In a stunning display of diplomatic doublespeak, the US, Japan, and South Korea have once again reaffirmed their commitment to North Korea’s denuclearization – because that strategy has worked so well for the past few decades.
At a Glance
- US, Japan, and South Korea pledge to seek North Korea’s denuclearization… again
- Allies express concern over North Korea’s nuclear program and ties with Russia
- Sanctions to be maintained and strengthened, because that’s clearly been effective
- Trump open to meeting with Kim Jong Un, because third time’s the charm?
- North Korea remains committed to its nuclear program, shocking absolutely no one
The Never-Ending Story of North Korean Denuclearization
In what feels like a broken record on repeat, the United States, Japan, and South Korea have once again pledged their undying commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea. This time, the grand declaration was made at the Munich Security Conference, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his counterparts from South Korea and Japan to discuss the perennial thorn in their side – Kim Jong Un’s nuclear ambitions.
The allies issued a joint statement, reaffirming their resolve to achieve the impossible dream of a nuclear-free North Korea. Because if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to make Kim Jong Un see reason, it’s another strongly worded statement from his adversaries.
Concerns Aplenty, Solutions… Not So Much
The trilateral meeting wasn’t just about rehashing old commitments. Oh no, they also expressed “serious concerns” over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, cyber activities, and increasing military cooperation with Russia. It’s almost as if isolating a country and imposing crippling sanctions might drive it into the arms of other international pariahs. Who could have possibly seen that coming?
“The Secretary and Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs)” – joint statement from the three allies
The allies also vowed to maintain and strengthen sanctions against North Korea. Because clearly, the decades of sanctions already in place have been wildly successful in convincing Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear toys. Maybe if we sanction them just a little harder, they’ll finally see the error of their ways!
Trump to the Rescue?
In a twist that surprises absolutely no one, President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to engage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again. Because the first two summits were such roaring successes, right? Who can forget the 2019 summit in Hanoi, where Trump and Kim couldn’t even agree on what color the sky was, let alone make progress on denuclearization?
“They expressed their serious concerns over and the need to address together the DPRK’s nuclear and missile programs, malicious cyber activities including cryptocurrency thefts, and increasing military cooperation with Russia” – joint statement from the three allies
But fear not, dear readers! The US, Japan, and South Korea have made it crystal clear that they “will not tolerate any provocations or threats to their homelands.” I’m sure Kim Jong Un is quaking in his boots at this stern warning. After all, it’s not like North Korea has a history of completely ignoring such threats and continuing to do whatever it pleases.
The Definition of Insanity
As Albert Einstein allegedly said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” By that measure, the US, Japan, and South Korea’s approach to North Korea’s denuclearization is certifiably insane. They continue to issue statements, impose sanctions, and make demands, all while North Korea merrily continues to expand its nuclear arsenal and missile capabilities.
But hey, who knows? Maybe this time, the 1,001st statement reaffirming commitment to denuclearization will be the charm. Maybe Kim Jong Un will wake up tomorrow, read this latest joint statement, and decide to dismantle his entire nuclear program. And maybe pigs will fly, and money will grow on trees.
In the meantime, the rest of us can sit back and watch this diplomatic theater play out, secure in the knowledge that our leaders are hard at work, reaffirming commitments and expressing concerns. It’s almost enough to make you forget that nothing has actually changed in decades. Almost.
