President Moon of South Korea faces the same problem as his predecessors – what to do with North Korea and its dangerous, ambitious Kim Jong-un. Joel Wit of 38 North believes the way forward is diplomacy, and in this open letter to President Moon gives a quick overview of the past and why he puts his money on talk, not muscle:
Source: Christian Science Monitor
In view of the deteriorating situation as well as this month’s upcoming joint US-ROK military exercises, which are only likely to result in greater tensions on the peninsula, it is absolutely essential that you and your government immediately engage in serious, detailed talks with President Trump and his top advisors to work out a joint strategy and division of labor so we can move forward together. Without such a strategy, we will have no choice but to acquiesce to a North Korea armed with a growing nuclear and missile arsenal and a Korean peninsula plagued by dangerous tensions for many years to come.
Which doesn’t sound half-bad until you remember the tyro American President and his bumbling incompetence in foreign relations. Even that wouldn’t be so bad if he had the balls to own his incompetence and kept out of the way as his chosen experts work the problem, but as well all know, he doesn’t realize just how awful he has been and, in all likelihood, will continue to be, so we can look forward to him shooting his mouth off at a critical moment, damaging the American and Korean position.
Nor has Secretary of State Rex Tillerson been an inspiration, either, but in the absence of alternatives, we have to hope he takes the problem seriously.
And maybe ignores his boss.
