A nonresponsive Kim Jong Un…Trump even raised 'sanctions relief'

"If a North‑U.S. summit is held, we'll discuss with the North"

Repeated love calls while mentioning postponing schedule

Some express concern that the goal of denuclearization may be shaken

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korea and hinted at the possibility of easing sanctions. Since North Korea did not respond to several public offers of dialogue, observers say this suggests he is trying to lure North Korea to the negotiating table by indicating the possibility of sanctions relief through negotiation.

President Trump said on the 27th, while aboard his plane moving from Malaysia to Japan, in response to reporters' question asking "Is there anything you could offer Kim Jong Un?", "We have sanctions. This is a fairly big matter to start with." He then said, "There might not be anything bigger than this." This is the first time since Trump regained the presidency that he specifically mentioned North Korea sanctions as an agenda item for a U.S.-North Korea summit.

The U.S. officially aims for the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." However, it is not easy for North Korea to unilaterally dismantle its nuclear weapons without any compensation. The international community, including South Korea and the United States, continued to respond by steadily raising the level of sanctions on North Korea, but movements to seek other approaches have also existed. During his first term, President Trump also discussed easing sanctions if North Korea dismantled nuclear facilities, but no results were achieved. At the U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, both sides agreed on the principle of working toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but at the second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, negotiations collapsed as North Korea sought only the dismantling of the Yongbyon nuclear facilities while the United States insisted on including other sites as well.

The prevailing view is that Kim Jong Un, who remembers that episode clearly, would not easily accede to President Trump's request. At the Supreme People's Assembly last September, Kim Jong Un set the precondition that he could meet if the United States abandoned its pursuit of denuclearization.

However, since President Trump said on the 24th of this month that if Kim Jong Un agreed to meet he "could postpone his schedule to return to Washington," and repeated the same remark again that day as he made overtures, it cannot be ruled out that North Korea might respond. Regarding this, Unification Minister Jeong Dong‑yeong said on the 28th at the comprehensive audit of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, "We see a considerable possibility that North Korea will come out." He added, "Although everything is uncertain, North Korea's position could be announced on the 28th or 29th through Kim Yo‑jong, the vice department director and Kim Jong Un's sister."

However, if North Korea's nuclear program were recognized and sanctions lifted to achieve a meeting with Kim Jong Un, the repercussions would likely be large. The Washington Post warned in an editorial that "it could be seen as a measure recognizing that North Korea has permanently joined the nuclear club."

Washington=Correspondent Lee Sang‑eun / Reporter Lee Hyun‑il selee@hankyung.com