On the Way to the Third US-North Korea Summit:
South Korea’s Diplomatic Task for 2019

"Possibility of a Third U.S.-DPRK Summit, Contingent on This Year`s Efforts"

Denuclearization talks have been at a stalemate since the failure of the U.S.-North Korea Hanoi summit. Yet with the year-end deadline set for bilateral negotiations, this year is critical in advancing the denuclearization process. Chun Chaesung, Chair of East Asia Institute’s Center for National Security Studies, argues that the following are needed for this year’s efforts to lead to trust-building and reasonable outcomes: reaffirmation of the denuclearization roadmap’s basic principles; discussions and negotiations related to North Korea’s regime security; coordination on North Korea policy based on mutual trust; and an acknowledgement of ties between developments in inter-Korean affairs, denuclearization and South Korea’s diplomacy with the major powers. He suggests that “South Korea should systematically strengthen diplomacy with neighbouring countries and build trust with North Korea while simultaneously facilitating international and other diplomatic discussions related to North Korea’s regime security.”  [Read Commentary]