By Bonnie Kristian
Former North Korean diplomat Ryu Hyun-woo gave his first interview on January 31 since defecting to South Korea more than a year ago, and he spoke what should be obvious: North Korea will not denuclearize – at least, not any time soon. “North Korea’s nuclear power is directly linked to the stability of the regime,” Ryu told CNN. “I can’t imagine they abolish this.”
This is a message U.S. President Joe Biden needs to hear. After some promising sallies into diplomacy, the Trump administration squandered its chance with North Korea by demanding Pyongyang commit to full denuclearization before serious talks could even begin. Biden can’t improve on that dismal record if he begins with the same mistake. He must accept that denuclearization is not a realistic goal for U.S.-North Korea relations for the foreseeable future and negotiate instead for more achievable ends.
Ryu’s comments are not exactly a new insight. On the contrary, the Kim regime’s one transparency is its commitment to its nuclear arsenal and its reasoning behind that stance. Kim Jong Un believes – rationally enough – that if he gives up his nuclear arms, he opens himself to U.S.-forced regime change and perhaps his own death. He believes this because he’s seen it happen, and he won’t change his mind until he no longer perceives that risk.
This piece was originally published in The Diplomat on February 6, 2021. Read more HERE.