At the upcoming inter-Korean summit slated for late April, South Korea should seek a clear understanding of North Korea's interpretation of what the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will mean, said former U.S. officials who have dealt with North Korea extensively.
As President Donald Trump appears to be optimistic about the prospects of potential talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the former U.S. officials remain skeptical Washington and Pyongyang share the same meaning of denuclearization.
U.S. officials confirmed on Sunday that North Korea directly told the White House that Kim would be interested in talks and was prepared to discuss denuclearization at a summit with Trump.
North Korea plans on Denuclearization.
On Monday, Trump said, "I think there'll be great respect paid by both parties, and hopefully we'll be able to make a deal on the de-nuking of North Korea." Trump said he'll meet with Kim in late May or early June, but the date and place have not been confirmed.
Differing interpretations
Mitchell Reiss, director of policy planning at the U.S. State Department during the George W. Bush administration, urged caution until it is better known what Kim means when he says he is willing to talk about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
"What North Korea means by denuclearization is very different than what the United States and what South Korea traditionally has meant by denuclearization," said Reiss, who negotiated with the North over the nuclear issue in 1990s. "And in my conversations with North Koreans over the years, it is clear that the United States has to take a number of steps first, such as ending the alliance with South Korea, removing all of its military troops off the Korean Peninsula."
Dennis Wilder, senior director for East Asian Affairs at the National Security Council during the George W. Bush administration, said South Korean President Moon Jae-in should seek out North Korea's view of denuclearization during the inter-Korean summit as a way to pave the way for the U.S. to discuss denuclearization at the anticipated U.S.-North Korea summit.
"It's a very important question to deal with – [North Korea's] perception of denuclearization – before the president of the United States meets with Kim Jong Un," said Wilder. "If the South Korean president could get more specifics as to how the North Koreans are looking at this question, that will help the United States set up the summit."
Other former U.S. officials think that while Seoul should ask Pyongyang to clarify its meaning of denuclearization at the inter-Korean summit, the actual denuclearization talks should be left for the U.S. to discuss with North Korea.
"Denuclearization is, no doubt, going to be … a U.S. angle," said William Brown, a former intelligence official who is now an adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University. "The Moon and Kim summit should be getting ready for the denuclearization talks but not actually doing it for themselves."
The extent of the discussion on denuclearization at the inter-Korean summit, according to Gary Samore, former White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction under president Barack Obama, should be limited to "South Korea having a statement, a communique of a North Korean intent to pursue denuclearization."
Samore thinks Pyongyang's written denuclearization intent "will be sufficient for the first meeting."