High-level South Korea delegation heads to Pyongyang as rapprochement continues
Today, a South Korean delegation will land in Pyongyang to discuss potential talks between North Korea and the US.
The Korean Peninsula has recently seen a thaw in the tensions that have dominated relations for the last decade. This is primarily due to South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s “Olympic Diplomacy” that brought the two Koreas to compete under one flag. However, roadblocks such as upcoming joint military exercises threaten to derail negotiations and return tensions to their previous levels.
Additionally, although President Trump has shown some willingness to enter into talks, a compromise still seems out of reach given the US demands any agreement include North Korea’s denuclearisation. Given that Kim Jong-Un sees nuclear weaponry as his only protection against regime change, this proposition is unrealistic.
The outcome of today’s meeting will prove if North Korea is actually serious about de-escalating tensions. In the coming days an opportunity for diplomacy may very well present itself. If so, then it will be up to Trump to not squander it and work towards a peaceful resolution.
Delve deeper: Warming the ice: North Korea at the Winter Olympics
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