America Out of Options; Are Pyongyang’s Ultimatums Behind a Potential New Trump-Kim Summit at the DMZ?

Following a four month freeze in negotiations U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted from Japan in the early hours of June 29th that he hoped to meet North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas “just to shake his hand and say Hello.” The President stated “After some very important meetings, including my meeting with President Xi of China, I will be leaving Japan for South Korea. While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello!" The unexpected statement comes less than two days after the Director General for U.S. affairs at North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kwon Jong Gun issued a warning to the United States regarding Pyongyang’s limited patience. The senior Korean diplomat stated: “The dialogue would not open by itself, though the United States repeatedly talks about resumption of dialogue like a parrot without considering any realistic proposal that would fully conform with the interests of both sides. If the United States is to move towards producing a result, time will not be enough." He went on to slam American policy of “sophistry” towards the country.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un in April gave the United States “until the end of the year” to return to the negotiating table in good faith, and that his country would otherwise resume testing of nuclear arms and ballistic missiles. The Trump administration for its part has claimed the opening of negotiations with the DPRK as one of its primary successes in foreign policy, and has a great deal to lose if negotiations should break down entirely. Having failed to prevent the DPRK from acquiring an ICBM and miniaturised thermonuclear warhead capable of holding cities on the U.S mainland in the firing line, a resumption of testing would likely destroy its credibility - placing Pyongyang in a position of considerable strength. With the ‘military option’ effectively off the table and few options for more economic sanctions, further negotiations remain the only option for the United States should its seek to prevent an embarrassing resumption of testing of Korean strategic weapons.