Two years after the Singapore summit, why such aggression in Pyongyang?

Text by: RFI Follow

Two years ago in Singapore, some hope was born during the historic summit bringing together Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. Hope since showered. In a statement, the North Korean foreign minister yesterday accused the United States of "hypocrisy". As the US presidential election approaches November 3, North Korea is mounting pressure.

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An award. This is what Pyongyang is demanding for its moratorium on nuclear tests and missile tests, for the dismantling of its nuclear test site at Punggye-ri and the repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War. However, North Korea is still under drastic sanctions, resulting in a certain exasperation.

"  The message that is sent today by North Korea, it is clear: it is that of an exasperation towards the United States, explains Antoine Bondaz, researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research ( FRS), joined by Heike Schmidt of the RFI international service. The North Koreans consider that they have made steps towards Washington, but that the United States, them, did not take measures, did not make concessions vis-à-vis Pyongyang.  "

For the researcher, “  today we are at an impasse on the North Korean side for several reasons. The first is that there is no longer any negotiation between Washington and Pyongyang. The second is that North Korea is no longer on the agenda of US President Donald Trump. And the third point is that there is going to be a presidential election in the United States, which risks changing the direction taken by the American administration. The game is therefore very difficult for North Korea: the objective is to secure their position and especially to be in a position of strength if another president, a Democratic president is elected in November. This is why, for the moment, North Korea is strengthening rhetoric but has not yet taken concrete action, has not yet provoked it concretely. And this could take place in the coming months, especially in the context of the American presidential election.  "

Cosmetic gestures

However, has the Kim Jong-un regime really made efforts to ease the tensions arising from its nuclear program since the Singapore meeting? "  There have been extremely cosmetic gestures made by North Korea," answers Antoine Bondaz. In particular the condemnation of tunnels leading to nuclear test sites or even a partial freeze on ballistic tests for many months.  "

However, underlines Antoine Bondaz, the North Korean nuclear and ballistic program continues. "  And this is where the rub in international negotiations lies: the United States is waiting for concrete steps towards denuclearization. For example, the suspension or dismantling of certain nuclear infrastructures and means that as long as there is no concrete gesture towards denuclearization, there is no reason for the international community to lift sanctions and therefore make concessions . "

Stronger threat than in 2017

In this context, warns Antoine Bondaz, the nuclear and ballistic capacities of North Korea are much more important today than three years ago. "  The threat posed by North Korea vis-à-vis South Korea , Japan but also vis-à-vis international non-proliferation, is even greater today than it does" was two years ago, despite the absence of a nuclear test or very long-range ballistic test as in 2017. The North Korean nuclear issue remains an extremely important problem for the international community.  "

► Listen: End of the moratorium on North Korean nuclear tests: Kim Jong-un may think that using force is a way to move the United States

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• North Korea
• United States
• South Korea
• Nuclear

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