North Korean, U.S. Officials Cancel Nuclear Talks

Nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea break down in Sweden. (Wikimedia Commons)

U.S. and North Korean officials abruptly broke off nuclear talks set to take place the weekend of October 5, according to Reuters. This occurred in Stockholm, Sweden, where U.S. and North Korean officials met to plan a potential third summit. North Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Myong Gil, said, “The negotiation has not fulfilled our expectations and finally broke off.” 

Nuclear negotiations have been at a standstill for months since the last summit in February, which took place in Hanoi, Vietnam. The standstill is largely due to the United States’ rejection of North Korean demands for broad sanctions relief in exchange for surrendering some of its nuclear capabilities. New developments since then include President Donald Trump’s decision to fire former-National Security Adviser John Bolton and North Korean public praise of an unspecified “new method” of U.S.-North Korean cooperation. 

The purpose of the potential summit was to continue to strive for North Korean denuclearization. North Korea generally favors an incremental process in which the U.S. gradually rolls back sanctions in exchange for North Korea making small steps in denuclearization. The U.S. seems to prefer a larger-scale method of denuclearization, wanting disarmament upfront. 

Experts say that negotiating a deal, in general, will be difficult due to long-term disagreements. Both sides will be looking for the other to concede more than what they are currently willing to. The Wall Street Journal reports that a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, Kim Jin-a, said, “How much Pyongyang will open up its nuclear weapons will need negotiating.”

Pyongyang has generally been willing to negotiate with the U.S. due to the need for relief from harsh sanctions imposed in retaliation for its growing nuclear and missile capabilities. Although the data from North Korea is likely inaccurate, it is generally well-known that a large amount of the North Korean population is facing starvation and extreme poverty. 

However, despite North Korea’s desire for sanctions relief, the country has not backed down from displaying its weaponry. Earlier in October, North Korea launched an underwater missile that fell inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. This missile is classified as a ballistic missile, a class of weaponry that the United Nations Security Council has banned Pyongyang from using.  

Despite hopeful attitudes from officials coming into the meeting that longer denuclearization talks might take place, it is clear that neither side is willing to concede more than previously stated at the earlier summits.