Amidst tensions, US President and North Korean President are set to meet each other.
What is the brief note of US and North Korea’s relations?
Last year, North Korea had scored a nuclear double, with 2 intercontinental ballistic missilesfirst capable of reaching Alaska and second up to California.
It then detonated its most powerful nuclear weapon, a 120 kiloton-boosted fission device.
Given the fact that it has been taking efforts to become nuclear capable, the situation was likely to turn into another Cuban missile crisis.
This led into threats by both North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump against each other.
Only due to the efforts by South Korean President, the matters have improved well enough to entertain dialogue and negotiations.
What were the impact of sanctions in North Korea?
When North Korea pulled out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003 and intensified its nuclear programme, the UN imposed sanctions.
But the North Korean regime continued to conduct missile and nuclear weapon tests, provoking the UN and the U.S. to impose more severe sanctions in the hope that North Korea would abandon its nuclear programme.
But that did not happen, even though prolonged sanctions have had a very serious impact on the North Korean economy.
Monthly exports from the country plunged from about $240 million in 2016 to less than $50 million by the end of 2017.
Exports even to China, its main trading partner, slumped last year and Oil supply is seriously endangered.
But the resulting hardship has not caused any internal protests or revolt in North Korea, threatening Mr. Kim’s rule.
Since the situation is better than the years of famine where they lived through worse deprivation.
As the North Korean people have lived thorough much worse deprivation, particularly during the famine years from 1994 to 1998.
Although North Korea has found the sanctions manageable and continued with its nuclear programme, it would certainly like to have the sanctions eased.
What is South Korea’s role in US-NK diplomacy?
South Korean President, who originally hails from North Korea used the Winter Olympics as an opportunity to conciliate with North Korea.
As North Korearesponded positively, South Korea used thisdiplomatic opportunity to address more serious bilateral issues as well as the stand-off with the U.S.
A North-South summit was the outcome and the North Korean President expressed his eagerness to meet the US President and to refrain from any further nuclear tests.
Thus, South Korea was instrumental in bringing in two counties at the verge of nuclear war to negotiations in the table.
