Secretary General Kim Jong-un is shaking hands with then-US President Donald Trump at the Panmunjom meeting between South and North Korea and the US on June 30, 2019. /News 1
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is considering pursuing a ‘deal’ that would ease economic sanctions against North Korea by freezing North Korea’s nuclear program if he wins next year’s presidential election and returns to power, Politico, a U.S. political media outlet, reported on the 13th (local time). ) reported. There is a possibility that the second Trump administration will lower the goal of denuclearization negotiations from ‘CVID’ (complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization) to a nuclear freeze for the sake of ‘diplomatic achievement.’ Trump denied the report, calling it groundless. However, in Washington politics, there is also talk that “given that the freeze on North Korea’s nuclear program was continuously mentioned as a negotiation plan by those around the administration even during Trump’s first term, this is a scenario that could become a reality at any time.”
Politico cited three sources who were briefed on Trump’s plans for North Korea on this day, saying that Trump is considering easing sanctions against North Korea and providing economic support if North Korea stops developing nuclear weapons and accepts verification of this. They said there was. Politico said, “Trump may be ready to give up on persuading Kim Jong-un to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear arsenal,” adding, “Let’s not waste time on nuclear weapons talks and focus on bigger things: competing with China.” He said.
The ‘North Korean Nuclear Freeze Scenario’ presented by POLITICO today means that North Korea will stop its current and future nuclear development and production, but will acknowledge the nuclear weapons it developed in the past. North Korea is reported to have at least 70 kg of plutonium. This is enough to produce up to 18 nuclear weapons. Politico said, “If Trump relaxes his approach to North Korea, it could unsettle allies such as South Korea and Japan, as well as Republican figures who prefer a harder-line approach to North Korea.” A diplomatic and security source in Washington said, “The United States’ declaration of a ‘nuclear freeze’ means it is effectively recognizing North Korea as a nuclear state,” adding, “Only South Korea runs the risk of becoming a ‘nuclear hostage’ of North Korea.”
The analysis is that the reason Trump is considering the North Korean nuclear freeze is because he is trying to reach an agreement with North Korea early in his term. “Trump wants a ‘deal’ (with North Korea),” one source said. “But I don’t think he has thought enough about what kind of deal he wants.” Since it is difficult to fundamentally eliminate the North Korean nuclear threat, it is believed that they can focus on achieving a half-baked agreement by calling it a nuclear freeze and sanctions relief and then boasting about achieving peace. Politico also said, “In this case, there is a risk that South Korea will arm itself with nuclear weapons.”
In response to the report on this day, Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Cheng said, “The ‘sources’ (quoted by Politico) do not know what they are talking about,” and added, “(They) do not represent former President Trump and the Trump campaign.” He said. Trump also said in a social media post, “Politico’s report is fake news,” and added, “The only thing accurate about that article is that I get along well with Kim Jong-un.”
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2023-12-14 13:37:00
