Daily Times

How long the divide will continue between the North and South Korea? At one point there is possibility of bringing the two countries to a common table. There is some sacrifice on both sides. North Korea will dismantle its nuclear program for peace and economic development. Is the deal costly for North Korea or it would resolve all of its economic problems?

Another inter-Korean Summit, before U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with President Moon Jae-in, June 30. It was evident that the U.S. President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of another meeting between President Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ahead of his planned visit of June.

South Korea and the U.S. are united on that idea but some differences are on the rise. On the basis of discussion between the two Koreas, the United States might give it response on the situation. This will be President Moon fourth Summit with North Korean leader. It is hoped that Kim will positively respond to the desire expressed by President Moon. This is all after the failure of the Hanoi talks.

Hope this will work and both Moon and Kim might have a positive outcome. This meeting is considering very important as it will give impetus of a possible talks between the United States and North Korea. The stalemate of talks would not resolve any issue and talks are a process and this process must continue to find out a solution to nuclear talks and other North Korean issues.

The letter exchanged between the United States and North Korea, their willingness to continue dialoged is considered a positive development and in a good sense. Still Trump and Kim maintained a good relationship and there is no bar effecting to hold the third Summit between them. North Korea maintains huge package of sanction against it at the United Nations ad it also reported that it is violated petroleum sanctions. The United Nations Security Council committee said most of the petroleum products were “obtained from dozens of illegal ship-to-ship transfers.” A recent report released by the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition at Nagasaki University in Japan predicted that North Korea has as many as 30 nuclear warheads, up from a previous estimate of between 10 and 20.

South Korea is eager to nudge the North to return to the negotiating table – and humanitarian aid is one way to do that

Kim earlier promised to dismantle all of his country’s missile facilities and disband its nuclear program in the presence of international inspectors led by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog. In Hanoi, Kim offered to close the North’s major Yongbyon nuclear complex in exchange for concessions on sanctions; however Trump refused to agree to this.

In a possible gesture, Kim send his sister, Kim Yo Jong, to South Korea to warm up the relationship and to send condolences for Lee Hee-ho, wife of the former President Kim Dae Jung, who died. This is the most important interaction between the two Governments in recent months. She brought a wreath and a letter of condolence from her brother after the death of former South Korean first lady Lee Hee-ho. Their 15-minute meeting was the first high-level interaction between the two Koreas since the breakdown of a Summit in Hanoi between Kim Jong Un and President Trump at the end of February.

Although the summit was failure, the momentum of continuity, however, continued. The possibility of the third Summit might resolve basic problems. She hoped for a continuation of the inter-Korean cooperation that the late first lady had worked for. She wished to visit the De-Militarize Zone (DMZ) dividing the North with the South. Both Kim and Trump had worked toward demilitarization and denuclearization.

In another gesture, South Korea approved US$ 8 million in food aid to North Korea in response to what U.N. agencies say are the worst harvests there in a decade and severe food shortages affecting 40 percent of the North’s population. South Korea is eager to nudge the North to return to the negotiating table – and humanitarian aid is one way to do that. Seoul was quick to point out that U.N. sanctions targeting the North’s nuclear programs allow for humanitarian assistance and that the Trump Administration is on board with it.

Beijing has its stake on the issue. It does not want to isolate the North and continue to play its part on the issues. Beijing appears more focused on North Korea’s survival and the elimination of the U,S> military presence in the South. This also means that Beijing will take care of South Korea in this changing episode.

Diplomacy of peace and negotiation between the South and North Korea will continue and will produce better result between the two countries. This is only way to bring tranquility between them than fostering hate between them. A more negotiating style will bring peace between them and erode animosity between them in this fast changing station on the Korean Peninsula. Their engagement for peace and development could bring lasting result on the Peninsula. This will make an end of the 70 years old conflict and the both nations will start a new journey to peace and tranquility. There is a bright future of the Korean Peninsula at the end of 2019.

The writer is a freelance. He writes on East Asian affairs