U.S. President Joe Biden’s candidate for secretary of state has said the incoming administration will conduct a full review of Washington’s approach to North Korea with the goal of increasing pressure which forced the country to return to talks on its nuclear weapons program.
At his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, Antony Blinken said the United States would also look at providing humanitarian support to North Korea, which faces the worst challenges since an estimated three million people died of starvation in the United States. 1990s.
“I think we need to review, and we intend to review the whole North Korean approach and policy, because this is a tough problem that has been eliminated by administration. after administration. And it’s a problem that hasn’t gotten better – in fact, it’s gotten worse, ”Blinken told lawmakers.
The promise came when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this month declared the U.S. the country’s “main enemy” and pledged to expand its nuclear and ballistic missile program, despite punishment of international sanctions. North Korea also revealed what appeared to be the launch of new ballistic missiles, which state media cited as the “most powerful weapon in the world”.
Some analysts say a weapons demonstration could signal that North Korea may resume nuclear and ballistic missile tests, which Kim postponed in 2018 amid talks with a former U.S. President going out, Donald Trump. Those talks have since collapsed following disagreements over disarmament measures and North Korea’s call for the lifting of sanctions.
Observers say Biden, who is due to step down on Wednesday, must treat North Korea as a “top priority” to prevent the country from developing its nuclear arsenal and missiles – a move that gives Pyongyang some fear of seeking discounts to simply reduce tensions over advancing denuclearization.
Humanitarian aid
Blinken’s commitment Tuesday to a review of Washington’s North Korean policy came in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, who asked if he, with the ultimate goal of denuclearizing North Korea, would support A “gradual agreement” that offered better relief from sanctions. to Pyongyang as a reward for proof freezing in its military programs.
Blinken said the purpose of a review is to “look at the options we have, and what can be effective in terms of additional pressure on North Korea to come to the negotiating table, as well as what -other possible diplomatic initiatives ”.
This would begin with close consultation with friends and partners, particularly with South Korea and Japan, he said, adding: “We want to ensure that anything that does us, look at the humanitarian side of the equation, not just the security side of the equation. “
The United Nations says North Korea is suffering from widespread food shortages amid international sanctions, border closures due to a pandemic coronavirus infection, as well as devastating floods that have destroyed tens of thousands of homes as well as large areas of farmland last year. Kim herself has called the last five years the “worst” in North Korea and pledged to make the country’s economy self-sustaining.
Some accepted Blinken’s idea of a lecepticism policy review.
“The ceremony begins,” he tweeted Joshua H Pollack, editor at the Non-Diversification Review. “First: the policy review. Second: settling on the same policy, but – essentially – under a different name. (Just don’t forget to talk about “breaking the circle.”) Third: the same results. Fourth: an interesting acknowledgment that the attempts have failed. Fifth: policy review. “
The ceremony begins. First: the policy review. Second: settles on the same policy, but – essentially – under a different name. (Just don’t forget to talk about “breaking the circle.”) Third: the same results. Fourth: an interesting acknowledgment that the attempts have failed. Fifth: policy review. https://t.co/5qanbo4LJB
– Joshua H. Pollack (@Joshua_Pollack) January 19, 2021
Ankit Panda, senior at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, tweeted: “I will keep this administration to the same level as the one that goes out of NK policy: letting out that North Korea will disarm if we continue to put more pressure right there are embarrassed ways to fail. “
I will keep this administration at the same levels as the one that goes out of NK policy: let North Korea disarm if we continue to put more stress in just the right ways of failing. And there is no shortage of outside government views on how to proceed.
– Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) January 19, 2021
Meanwhile, in South Korea, President Moon Jae-in has named a former national security adviser who played a bridge role in the 2018 summit between Kim and Trump as the country’s next foreign minister.
Moon has long encouraged communications with the North and his office said in a statement that Chung, 74, had been “involved in all U.S. relations matters. and South Korea ”and is the“ best expert in the field of diplomacy and national security ”.