Despite multiple challenges, resumption of dialogue between the North and South Koreas has reignited hopes of a possible ease in tensions.
What drove the talks?
North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launches and nuclear explosions have raised global alarm over the region’s safety for travel and tourism.
South Korea wants to reduce tensions immediately, to ensure the safe conduct of the approaching winter Olympic Games that it is hosting next month.
Hence, Seoul sees the confirmation of North Korean participation in the games and parallel peace talks as vital for the successful conduct of the games.
Simultaneously, North eyes an opportunity to get de-facto recognition as a nuclear state, which is a vantage point for negotiating for lifting sanctions.
Hence, talks between Seoul and Pyongyang has resumed after two years.
What were some significant compromises?
South Korean President Mr.Moon, has been a staunch advocate of a negotiated resolution of the North Korean nuclear stand-off.
On that note, the U.S. and South Korea had agreed for delaying their joint military exercises in exchange for a freeze in North Korea’s nuclear program.
Notably, the joint military exercise was an irritant for both Pyongyang and Beijing, as both saw them as interference in their backyard.
China even imposed an unofficial blockade on South Korean trade and tourism for a while after the installation of US’s THAAD missiles in its territory.
While denuclearisation on the Peninsula is still far off, as talks have resumed after two years, it has created considerable hope.
