Five Myths about the Singapore U.S.-North Korea Summit Meeting

In the mass media, there are too many misconceptions about the U.S.-DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or North Korea) Summit held on June 12 between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un in Singapore. What emerge are five myths about the summit, stemming from their inability to understand the summit’s significance fully.

The first myth is that the summit failed. But regarding the ultimate goals of denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, it is too early to tell. We are at the early stages of negotiations. Given the drumbeats of war in 2017, however, the summit is a success in diffusing tensions and initiating a new era of détente. Remember, the United States and North Korea have maintained mutual hostility for about 70 years and have been technically at war.

Some also argue that the summit failed because CVID (complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization) is missing in the joint statement. However, as many experts point out, CVID undermines the sovereignty of North Korea. Their acceptance of CVID would be equivalent to an unconditional surrender, potentially making any denuclearization deal almost impossible. Success in any disarmament negotiations will require compromise and creativity.

The second myth is that North Korea has not yielded, whereas the United States has made too many concessions. But North Korea has already made many concessions. It promised "a complete denuclearization" to the United States, destroyed the Poongyeri nuclear test site, suspended nuclear and missile tests, released three imprisoned US citizens, and began the process of repatriating of the remains of the US soldiers killed during the Korean War. Meeting with Kim Jong Un is not about legitimating him or giving away the store but about building mutual trust for the hard work of building peace and denuclearization.

The third myth is that North Korea is an unreliable negotiating partner. The critics point to failures with past agreements. But a strong case can be made that both the U.S. and North Korea were responsible for the past failures. North Korea dithered and suspended cooperation. With the 1994 Agreed Framework, however, the United States failed to fulfill its pledge to build two light-water reactors and supply heavy oil on schedule. With the 2005 September 19 Joint Statement, the U.S. made additional demands related to special inspections and verification not in the original agreement.

The fourth myth is that the summit should have raised the issue of human rights in North Korea. It is possible to raise human rights issues, but we cannot solve all the problems of North Korea through one negotiation. The critical agenda today is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Besides, we must also recognize that peace and security are vital human rights on their own. With peace, human rights in North Korea will improve.

The fifth myth is that the declaration of Trump's suspension of US-ROK military exercises weakens the US-ROK alliance. But the suspension is the product of U.S.-ROK cooperation: South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked the United States to postpone the scheduled joint military exercises during the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, and the United States agreed. These paved the way to first the inter-Korean Summit and then the U.S.-DPRK Summit. By no means does it have to mean the weakening or destruction of the U.S.-ROK alliance. Rather, it can help make the ROK - US alliance stronger.

Taking all these into consideration, we must note that the Singapore U.S.-DPRK Summit is a historic breakthrough for the denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. A peaceful and prosperous Korea will undoubtedly improve U.S. security and increase world peace. Thus, no matter how much you hate Trump or disagree with his other policies, it is time for us to unite at least in supporting his peace initiative in Korea.