If anything has changed the dynamic on the Korean Peninsula, it is not who is sitting today in the White House, rather it was North Korea’s accelerating nuclear and ballistic program.
North Korea continues to defy UN resolutions which are global calls to disarm, not only US calls.
· The North Korean narrative incorrectly pits North Korea and the US against each other when in fact the world has spoken as one repeatedly against North Korean behavior.
How does the Trump Administration differ from its predecessor?
· His rhetoric implies a higher price tag on consequences if North Korea continues on its path.
· Even though he now is open to speaking with Kim Jong Un, he insists on conditions, not yet detailed.
More than Trump, South Korea’s new President Moon has changed the dynamic - for a bit more conciliation toward North Korea.
South Korea must not let the North exploit the openness of the Games to infect the long-standing security cooperation between the South, the US, and allies.
