In the latest update, the North Korea may be considering the engage with South Korea and the rest of the world. Stephen Biegun, former US Deputy Secretary said.
North Korea May Be Sending Messages Of Engagement
Addressing a webinar, co-hosted by George Washington University’s Institute for Korean Studies and the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management which is a state run institute based in Sejong, South Korea said that they have noted a sequence of events. And many of the analysts have interpreted those as provocative behaviour by North Korea.
Yonhap said that there is a school thought that he is inclined to believe that it is possible that North Korea might be sending external messages to suggest that they are at least contemplating terms of their re-engagement with the rest of the world.
This comes after, earlier this month, North Korea reopened direct communication channels with South Korea after a 55 days suspension. During this period, they had conducted four missile tests including the test launch of a new hypersonic missile.
He said that is it likely that the North Korean government was fixated on the US presidential elections. And now it does look like they are fixated on South Korean elections that are to be conducted next year. This could lead to a change in the government from progressiveness to conservative leaders.
He added that from this point of view, the most important thing right now is the fact that a communication link is back in place. So South Korea and North Korea are speaking directly again. And soon the US will also find a way to have direct communication with North Korea.
So far, Pyongyang has ignored repeated efforts taken by the US President Joe Biden’s administration. They have said that the President is willing to meet the North Korean leader “anytime, anywhere without preconditions”.
North Korea Hates Open-Ended Proposals
Biegun played a key role in setting up the second US-North Korea Summit between former President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi in February 2019. Quoting the same, he said that North Korea hates “open-ended” proposals”.
He said if they could begin with the North Korea’s engagement with the rest of the world, they hope to make progress on things that currently are inconceivable. It also includes complete denuclearization.
SOURCE-IANS
