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Experts: North Korea's Nuclear Weapons, Missiles Make It Less Secure

Christy Lee

   WASHINGTON - Contrary to Pyongyang's belief that nuclear weapons and
   missile programs safeguard its security and ensure its survival,
   experts said they make the country less safe because they leave it
   prone to U.S. military targets.

   North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "thinks that nuclear weapons are the
   guarantee of his regime survival," said Bruce Bennett, a senior defense
   analyst at the Rand Corp. research center. "In reality, they're the
   guarantee of his regime destruction."

   Although Kim promised he will commit to denuclearization since he began
   engaging with the U.S. in 2018, North Korea has not shown a serious
   willingness to reach a deal agreeing to forgo nuclear weapons.

   Experts said North Korea's reluctance to reach a denuclearization deal
   stems from its dogmatic view of nuclear weapons as essential for its
   security.

   Evans Revere, a former State Department official who had negotiated
   with North Korea extensively, said, "I am convinced that North Koreans
   believe nuclear weapons guarantee their security."

   "And as long as that is the case, there is no chance that Pyongyang
   will give them up," he added.

   Stalling

   Rather than committing itself toward reaching a viable denuclearization
   deal with Washington, Pyongyang has been stalling while blaming
   Washington for refusing to make concessions.

   North Korea said on Monday it is not interested in having another
   summit with the U.S. in an apparent response to President Donald
   Trump's Sunday tweet urging Kim to "act quickly" to "get a deal done."

     Mr. Chairman, Joe Biden may be Sleepy and Very Slow, but he is not a
     "rabid dog." He is actually somewhat better than that, but I am the
     only one who can get you where you have to be. You should act
     quickly, get the deal done. See you soon! [1]https://t.co/kO2k14lTf7
     -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) [2]November 17, 2019

   North Korean Foreign Ministry adviser Kim Kye Gwan said, "We are no
   longer interested in such talks that bring nothing to us," in a
   statement carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency
   ([3]KCNA)."As we have got nothing in return, we will no longer gift the
   U.S. president with something he can boast of."

   Progress on denuclearization talks has been stalled since the Hanoi
   Summit held in February failed when Trump denied Kim's request for
   sanctions relief in exchange for partial denuclearization. Trump,
   instead, asked Kim to fully denuclearize before any lifting of
   sanctions can be granted.
   

References

   Visible links
   1. https://t.co/kO2k14lTf7
   2. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1196080086686011398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   3. https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1574083172-965471955/advisor-to-dprk-foreign-ministry-issues-statement/

   Hidden links:
   4. file://localhost/usa/trump-kim-summit-ends-no-agreement

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