“As nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the United States remain in a stalemate after no “substantial outcome” from their recent encounter in Sweden, the lack of visible progress in the denuclearization dialogue is raising concerns that the North is “buying time” for its military and nuclear advancement. “
Who in the administration did NOT understand that from day one that was all Kim was interested in achieving - buying time. I understood that, why didn’t they??
That is all that all of the Kims have ever used any negotiations for. Why? The core of their constitution, their foundation, their core understanding of themselves REQUIRES reunification of the penninsula UNDER THEIR BANNER.
They do not even recognize the government of South Korea as legitimate, and that is why the most serious negotiations about war and peace to them must be with the United States, not South Korea. When they sit with the United States in negotiations, in their mind they are there representing all of the Korean people, north and south.
To them the aspirations of the people of South Korea are irrelevant to war and peace. To them it is all about the Kim regime versus the United States.
Given the U.S. and South Korea’s understanding of themselves in the situation, it is more than the fact that together they are on an opposing side verus North Korea, they are on a different mental plane.
You have to understand that to understand how simple words about the negotiations or any result of them means different things to North Korea than they do to everybody else.
The U.S. administrations have been caught in that conundrum over and over again. They hear the North say one thing, without consulting the foundational concepts of the regime in the North, to understand what that means IN THEIR TERMS.
Correct
Actually there was experienced repeated warnings early and often as to what to expect from North Korea. Almost unanimous from NSC staff, State experts, intel. Many of these people were fired, resigned, or are still there but with their heads down. Essentially there was only one person who did not listen to the detailed reports and real time indications but chose to overrule and try an untested path, and, well, here we are.