Important Week for Nuclear Disarmament News

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-In, right, raise their hands after signing a joint statement at the border village of Panmunjom on Friday, April 27, 2018. (Photo Credit: Korea Summit Press Pool via AP)

By Odile Hugonot Haber
Disarm/End Wars Committee

The last week of April brought us two incredible pieces of news related to the struggle for nuclear disarmament and against nuclear proliferation.

First was the news that the president of North Korea, Kim Jung Un, and the president of South Korea, Moon Jae-In, had a historic meeting. Moon and Kim both lead countries that have technically been at war since the 1950’s conflict, in which more than two million Koreans died. The sight of the two leaders extending their arms toward one another was moving––and then they danced some sort of minuet over the curb that represents the line of demarcation between their two respective countries.

Even more amazing was the declaration from President Kim saying that he would end North Korea’s nuclear pursuits in exchange for a U.S. truce. It was indeed a historic summit meeting. According to a New York Times article, “The leaders vowed to negotiate a treaty to replace a truce that has kept an uneasy peace on the divided Korean Peninsula for more than six decades.” A statement signed by the two leaders “confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.” This was an extraordinary declaration.

This was done by the very same leader who caused great concern about nuclear safety all of last fall. North Korea has performed six active nuclear tests since 2006. I guess Kim is banking on the fact that this declaration will get him something in exchange –– like 1) the withdrawal of South Korean troops from the demilitarized zone and 2) huge investments in his country from South Korea, with sanctions lifted, so he can rebuild his economy. The three-page Panmunjom declaration is vague––a plan will have to be devised with North Korea, complete with verifiable, hopefully irreversible nuclear disarmament in credible steps.

Some have counseled caution, of course. In an April 27 New Yorker article, Abraham M. Denmark, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, reminds us that this is the same Kim who purged rivals, killed some of his family, and has imprisoned thousands of his people. But still it is good news for now, and hopefully the promises will become reality.

The second good news was that President Emmanuel Macron of France came to the U.S. trying to convince President Trump to save the Iran nuclear deal, which was signed in Vienna in 2015. Macron wants to rescue the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed by France, the U.S, Russia, Germany, China, the UK, the European Union, and Iran. Under this deal, Iran had to scale back its uranium enrichment program and promise to not pursue nuclear weapons for 10 years. In exchange, some international sanctions were lifted allowing Iran to sell its oil and gas. However, some secondary sanctions remained.

We are not sure that Macron did convince Trump. He was able to address a joint session of Congress to urge them to preserve the deal. More recently, President Macron uncovered his larger plan to add conditions to the deal––his proposal would cover Iran’s nuclear activity beyond the 10-year deadline on two basic themes: 1) the basic ballistic system technology and 2) Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism in the region. It is described as a deal that would improve the situation in one area by opening discussion in other areas, which the author of The Art of the Deal might appreciate.

In the long run, both of these developments may advance the concept of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones. Perhaps one could follow in the Middle East–– it is not impossible and could remain doable. If Kim Jung Un can have a change of heart, so could many other leaders. . .

Sources:

Choe Sang-Hun, North and South Korea Set Bold Goals: A Final Peace and No Nuclear Arms, New York Times, April 26, 2018.
Robin Wright, Why Tump's Boasts About the Korea Summit Are Premature, The New Yorker, April 27, 2018.