A review of North Korean state media provides key insights about Pyongyang’s approach to the issue of denuclearization. Based on a careful reading of official…
A review of North Korean state media provides key insights about Pyongyang’s approach to the issue of denuclearization.
Based on a careful reading of official reports after the Singapore summit, North Korea appears to be signaling domestically that the government will pursue an arms agreement that the regime hopes eventually will lead to lifting economic sanctions. State-controlled North Korean propaganda outlets featured the summit in Singapore between President Trump and Kim Jong-un as a “great event” that promoted what was described as reconciliation, peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
On the topic of North Korea giving up its nuclear weapons, the ruling Korean Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, however, carefully referred to denuclearization in the context of the entire peninsula and not solely by North Korea. The newspaper stated in its report on the summit that Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim agreed to step-by-step “simultaneous” actions in the process of eliminating nuclear weapons.
Nevertheless, in a sign of official sincerity about the impending arms control process, the propaganda organ, which reports only official policies, quoted Mr. Kim as saying Pyongyang and Washington should agree to avoid conflict while taking “legal and institutional measures” for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
The newspaper noted that Mr. Trump voiced “understanding” about U. S.-South Korean military exercises being an irritant to better ties, and that the president agreed to halt the maneuvers as the dialogue continues. Joint military exercises that had been set for August in South Korea were put on hold last week.
Rodong Sinmun also reported that Mr. Trump offered Mr. Kim an unspecified “security guarantee” and the possible lifting of sanctions based on progress in improving bilateral ties.
The newspaper reported June 13 on the joint statement at the summit and Mr. Kim’s reaffirmation of the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
It was only the second time Mr. Kim has publicly expressed backing for complete denuclearization. The North Korean dictator first said he supported a total elimination of nuclear arms in the April 27 declaration made at Panmunjom village in the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.
The detailed report on the summit included four pages of coverage and photos out of the six-page paper, including publication of the entire joint agreement signed by the two leaders in Singapore.
The banner headline read: “Meeting of the century pioneers a new history of North Korea-U. S. relations; First North Korea-U. S. summit meeting and talks in history held.”
The shift in propaganda is a sharp divergence from past official statements, which warned of turning the United States into a “sea of fire” and that the North’s nuclear weapons would enable “the final victory over the United States.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he expects to travel to Pyongyang in the near future to hold follow-up talks.
The Pentagon stated in a recent report to Congress on the North Korean military that Pyongyang is unlikely to ever give up its nuclear forces, which include new long-range missiles and scores of nuclear weapons.
