Ex-N.Korean Diplomat Says Pyongyang Will Drag Talks out

Chosun Ilbo ^ | April 17, 2018 | Kim Myong-song

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ex-N.Korean Diplomat Says Pyongyang Will Drag Talks out

By Kim Myong-song

April 17, 2018 10:03

The former No. 2 man in the North Korean Embassy in London and now a vocal critic of the regime, has predicted Pyongyang will drag out talks about its nuclear program as long as possible while extracting concessions.

Thae Yong-ho was quoted on Monday as saying that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "will drag on for two to three years" without dismantling his nuclear weapons "while waiting for the U.S. president to be replaced."

He was giving a lecture at the Mulmangcho Foundation, an organization aimed at helping North Korean defectors settle here, last Friday.

"Kim will act during his summits with Seoul and Washington as if he were determined to dismantle nuclear weapons in stages -- first declaring dismantlement followed by incapacitating nuclear weapons and denuclearization," it quoted Thae as saying.

But while extracting concessions at each stage, the regime "can never abandon its nuclear weapons because it proclaims itself a nuclear state in its Constitution."

Thae said fresh UN sanctions against the North that started last September "have proved more powerful than any other sanctions of the last decade. Feeling a sense of crisis, Kim Jong-un rushed to Beijing to seek help, but it seems that he failed to achieve satisfactory results."

He warned that peaceful coexistence or reunification under a federal system "is impossible without denuclearization."

Thae said if Seoul makes concessions to the North, like lifting some sanctions or reopening the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex, it "should strongly demand improvement of human rights in return."

[BBQToadRibs]

Pretty sure it’ll end up like every other N. Korea talk the last 60+ years.

1) N Korea will make promises.
2) The US will give $$$ rewards.
3) N. Korea will not carry through, or outright break, promises.
4) Wash, rinse, repeat.

[TigerLikesRooster]

No brainer about N. Korea's ultimate objective. The question is what dramatic gesture Kim will pull to drag things out. If he hands over a few nukes from his warehouse as a "great gesture," there will be lots of people even in FR who would say that let's take it and declare a victory. Once Kim pulled U.S. into this drawn-out escapade of denuclearization, he can figure that it would be very difficult for U.S. to suddenly fold and completely walk out, risking loud denunciation from many sources.

It could get even sticker if China barge into this process and demand to form a joint team to oversee this process of denuclearization. It will slowly wear out U.S. efforts while gaining more leverage on N. Korea by acting as its protector, making N. Korea more dependent on China, and creating a beachhead for their presence in N. Korea, working to spread their influence and co-opt N. Korea elites.

[tet68]

To a diplomat, the result isn’t as important
as the process.

[caww]

It cannot be denied the US has certainly been down this road with N.Korea many times before...’stalling for time’ has brought their advancement in Nuclear to where they are today. So as I see it there really shouldn't be anymore “talking” nor “conditions”....go in NOW and get the job of denuclearizing done. Otherwise it's all just a replay.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Right. To them, this is just another ‘diplomatic porn.’ The same story and the same ending, but they still get high. Maybe ‘being high’ is all that matters to them.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I am wondering what tactical surprise Trump can bring to the meeting with Kim. He has some flair to blindside his opponent and catch him off-guard. Tactical surprise has been NK’s favorite move. Not anymore.

[Truth29]

So it might be said the Democrats and Deep State operatives could make common cause with Kim Jong Un to make sure that Trump doesn’t get a success. Now there is a conspiracy for you.

[caww]

Well Trump assuredly is not in the same mold of past presidents regarding N.Korea.....he's not afraid to play hardball and has no patience with dictators unless it's to his advantage to ‘give’ it.

My concern is we really cannot do anything as long as the new S. Korean President covets his ‘turn’ to reach a peaceful agreement with N.Korea. If this denuclearizing ‘action’ continues to ‘stall’, as it's doing now, it's because HE'S the party creating the environment with all these ‘talks’.

[AmericanInTokyo]

And yet sadly but not surprisingly there is a whole naive cadre on FR — many whom haven’t the slightest inkling if not a basic knowledge of the Norks and their strategy—who already have it somehow as a complete and big success and even speak of nominating Mr Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.

FOOLS!!!!

[dfwgator]

Three words, “Paris Peace Accords”

[AmericanInTokyo]

Correct

[AmericanInTokyo]

US Congress should make defector Thae a US citizen overnight. They could by special resolution. Security-clear him. Then, make him “Special Assistant to the President for Korean Talks” and •••bring Thae right into the negotiations front and center sitting alongside Trump and Bolton in hardline, stoneface mode•••• it would freak the Norks out to no end, and the psy war value would be with Amb. Thae responding in KOREAN right while Fat Boy was in the room and advising the President within earshot on all the bulkshit NK moves; it would be brilliant.

[GOPJ]

Once Kim pulled U.S. into this drawn-out escapade of denuclearization, he can figure that it would be very difficult for U.S. to suddenly fold and completely walk out, risking loud denunciation from many sources.

Maybe we're buying time too.

[AdmSmith]

True.