USA and North Korea: Between Tension and Diplomacy
Have you always wondered what North Korea is like? An isolated part of the world, one of the few socialist states left today, a self-sufficient economy where American citizens are prohibited entry.
This is exactly why we’re all so curious – North Korea’s secrecy on the international landscape makes you want to dig more. And if you’re a travel lover, the curiosity might prompt some basic questions. Why doesn’t the US have an embassy there? Have any of the US presidents made some progress with North Korea? What would the US do if North Korea launched an attack?
Let us establish that most states have had or still have rocky relations with North Korea. Their cold attitude and socioeconomic values are the main reasons.
But if you’re a geopolitics enthusiast, here’s a little history on our encounters with mysterious North Korea.
Diplomatic relationships between the United States and North Korea are inexistent as of right now, according to the US Department of State. However, things haven’t always been so dire.
The first dialogue, during the Clinton era, happened after the world learned about North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
The United States played a major supporting role and is still engaged nowadays through policy protecting the peace in the Korean peninsula.
Since the most recent visit in 2019, no more American negotiations have taken place with North Koreans.
All this is specifically important when it comes to world peace nowadays and how we can all nurture it.
American diplomats with national interests and public duties are exempt from the travel ban and are able to visit North Korea. Only 3 US Presidents have so far! Can you guess who?
Jimmy Carter, 1994 (first visit)
The former 39th President of the United States was the first President to visit North Korea in June 1994, but this was outside his presidential term. Probably the real bright spot between the US and North Korea, the visit aimed to de-escalate tensions.
At the time, world powers started to get worried about North Korea’s 1980 nuclear power plant program that is still the most secretive in the world. Even with the genuine scope of research, risks of a worldwide crisis were very present.
Actually, the appointed President Bill Clinton was considering a military response on a larger scale to North Korea’s then irresponsible use of nuclear power equipment. This is when Jimmy Carter asked to go to North Korea as a private citizen since he had no official role after his end of term in 1981.
His crucial discussions with Kim II Sung, the now former leader of North Korea, are considered a historical breakthrough and have most probably stopped a war.
North Korea hence agreed to freeze their nuclear power program in exchange for fuel and oils. The Clinton administration halted military preparations immediately.
The short visit set a valuable precedent for future visits of other US Presidents to North Korea.
Bill Clinton, 2009
Once again, outside his presidential term, Clinton later did arrive in North Korea.
The main reason for Bill Clinton’s visit to Pyongyang regarded the release of American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who had been detained by North Korean authorities for illegally crossing the border into the country from China. This moment represented a diplomatic success in terms of public image and public dialogue.
In August 2009, 8 years after Clinton’s presidency, the 42nd President of the United States spent some 20 hours negotiating with former leader Kim Jong II. The following morning, Clinton announced the Obama administration that a pardon was issued for the two journalists initially sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment for ‘grave crimes’.
Jimmy Carter, 2010 (second visit)
Jimmy Carter returned to North Korea in August 2010. As with Clinton, he was on a humanitarian mission to rescue Aijalon Mahli Gomes, a detained US national who managed to illegally enter the country.
Carter’s second visit was another success as he secured the man’s release.
As long as Carter does the talking, we avoid another Korean War, the news headlines explained.
Donald Trump, 2019
Donald Trump is the only sitting president who visited North Korea. Most recently, the 45th President of the United States held a one-day summit known as the DMZ summit, from the Korean Demilitarized Zone located between South Korea and North Korea.
The topic of discussion was prompted by the 2019 G20 Osaka summit in Japan and followed the progress of diplomacy. Trump believed that by building personal rapport with the North Korean leader, the US could further a good partnership with the country.
In short, Trump’s visit was both a simple gesture in the name of modern peace and an opportunity to test the waters regarding North Korea’s openness to denuclearization.
Donald Trump had a 53-minute one-on-one with Kim Jong Un, but South Korean President Moon Jae In attended the DMZ summit as well.
It’s not certain whether this was yet another successful visit by US Presidents. Conversation between the US and North Korea stopped altogether after the COVID-19 pandemic. North Korea’s borders have been even more secure since January 2020.
Media analysts say that Trump will likely return to North Korea under the right conditions. “We have a very good relationship… we’ll see what happens,” he said during an interview. However, Kim has ignored the US outreach beginning in 2020.
What will happen next between the US and North Korea?
We need to know how Donald Trump is currently prioritizing diplomatic relations with the North Korean state in his current term. The Trump administration has already passed bills and issued new tariffs.
What we do know is just that what will happen next depends massively on political intentions and attitudes in the long term.
Do you think other former or future US Presidents will visit North Korea? Is security why sitting US Presidents don’t risk a visit to North Korea? Is there any chance of improvement in international relations between world powers and closed off North Korea?
Worst case scenario, is the United States safe from direct and indirect attacks of North Korea if the situation doesn’t improve?
Feel more than free to leave your thoughts in the comments below. Let us know if you’d like a follow-up on the US-North Korea situation.
If you found this article useful, why not read more here: Trump’s First 100 Days Agenda
