North Korea: How to deal with the world’s most dangerous regime
North Korea
How to deal with the world’s most dangerous regime
from The Economist
Kim Jong Un celebrated grandpa’s birthday on 4/15. The regime threatens enemies by nuclear destruction & is building a missile reaching US
Dealing with bellicose Kim Jong Un will be one of Mr Trump’s trickiest tasks & the first big test of how he handles relations with China
Wanting to do something quickly is emotionally appealing. Yet a pre-emptive strike would be reckless & could turn nuclear & kill millions
Creating the impression Trump might strike first is dangerous. If Kim were to believe, he might attack first. Trump should cool his rhetoric
Mr Kim sees his nuclear arsenal as a guarantee of his survival. Economic sanctions & cyber-attacks are ineffective. US needs China’s help
North Korea is China’s ally. China does not wish North Korea reunite with the South & does not want American troops on its border
To contain North Korea Mr Trump has to learn how to talk to China. His transactional approach is ineffective for diplomacy
America should strengthen the rules-based order and invite China to join it instead of letting China break the rules in exchange for help
He should talk about North Korea itself, not the yuan or US steel jobs, to persuade China that it is in its own interest to curb North Korea
Mr Trump should reassure JP & the South they remain under US’s protection & China his goal is not invasion but detering nuclear threat
If the North were to use its nukes, the regime would be obliterated. In the long run, reunification is inevitable and desirable
