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North and South Korean Olympians may be marching together come February after Tuesday’s breakthrough talks – the first between the two sides in two years – but North Korea’s staunch refusal to discuss its nuclear weapons program means a likely return to nuclear impasse after the Olympic games conclude.
- The demands of the major players remain the same: the U.S. would not approve of the removal of U.N.-imposed sanctions or a cessation of joint military exercises without an agreement from Pyongyang to freeze its missile testing and acquisition of nuclear weapons; nor would North Korea agree to negotiations without concessions from others.
- But the talks show North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take advantage of an international event like the Olympics to make an end run around the Trump administration and the international community, after an extended period of heightened tensions and bellicose rhetoric over its provocative missile launches.
For expert commentary from former CIA and White House officials who have tangled with North Korea, read on.
- John McLaughlin, former Acting Director of the CIA
- Michael Morell, former Acting Director of the CIA
- Ambassador Joseph DeTrani, former U.S. Special Envoy for Six-Party Talks with North Korea
- Gordon Chang, author of "The Coming Collapse of China" and "Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes On the World"
- Joel S. Wit, Senior Fellow at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins SAIS and Co-Founder of 38 North
- Gary Samore, former White House Coordinator for Arms Control and Weapons of Mass Destruction |
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