US president Trump recently called off the planned bilateral summit with North Korean Premier Kim.
A serious of mis-steps has led to this unravelling, and the risk of geo-political tensions escalating further is very much alive.
How did the current situation evolve?
US president Trump and North Korean leader Kim were scheduled to meet soon in Singapore for a comprehensive bilateral to end hostilities.
The meet was highly anticipated as it held the key to resolving the nuclear crisis that had engulfed the Korean peninsula for almost a decade now.
Usually, acceptance of invitations is made public only after comprehensive planning on the agenda to be discussed and expected goals are clear.
But, when Trump had immediately agreed for a summit on Kim’s invitation, it was widely perceived as an instinctive decision without proper planning.
Ironically, this was despite the intense acrimony between US and North Korea over the course of the previous year.
Currently, Trump has unilaterally pulled out of the meet saying that North Korea is displaying a high headed behaviour and wasn’t committed enough.
How has North Korea conducted itself since the thaw began?
Once Mr. Trump had cleared the summit proposal, North Korea also moved fast, making a series of gestures to build goodwill.
In April, there was a summit between Mr. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village in the demilitarised zone.
North Korea pledged to halt nuclear and missile tests, and also dismantled its nuclear test site – which was largely a symbolic gesture.
Kim also ordered the release of 3 Korean-Americans, who were undergoing prison terms.
How has US conducted itself on this issue?
But the US hasn’t taken these into account and has shown little bonhomie from its side to ease tensions.
It went ahead with its joint military exercise with South Korea, which could’ve been postponed or cancelled to convey goodwill.
Trump’s team has also been bad mouthing Kim, and openly airing possibilities of a violently deposing Kim it he doesn’t denuclearise on US terms.
All of these has triggered legitimate anger from the North Korean officials, and ended up issuing a fresh warning to the US of a nuclear showdown.
How does the future look?
Despite the setback, hopes for an eventual one-to-one meeting still exist.
In a letter to Mr. Kim, Mr. Trump said the North was welcome to return to talks if it changed its attitude towards the U.S.
Pyongyang also issued a conciliatory response, saying that it hoped the U.S. President would reconsider his decision to “unilaterally” cancel the summit.
Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim should keep in mind the larger goal of de-escalation of tension, if not outright denuclearisation of North Korea.
The only sound way to address the Korean nuclear crisis is diplomacy.
