Beware the Korean Peace Trap
Interesting article - suggests that we pretty much knew they were starting to work toward peace 11 years ago...
Trump just basically made a lot of noise to try to take credit for something that was happening regardless.
He may get credit - but not for what he thinks...
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-04-27/north-korean-peace-pledge-is-a-trap
The joint communique says, "South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula." It also says the two states "shared the view that the measures being initiated by North Korea are very meaningful and crucial for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and agreed to carry out their respective roles and responsibilities in this regard." Finally it pledged that both would seek help and cooperation from the international community to achieve the goal of denuclearization.
That sounds pretty good, but it isn't. North Koreans have historically used the phrase "denuclearization" to mean the U.S. should no longer extend its nuclear umbrella to protect South Korea.
Finally, President Donald Trump in particular should worry about what the communique between the two Koreas means for his own strategy of maximum pressure on Pyongyang unless and until the regime makes tangible concessions on the nuclear file. It references a 2007 communique between the two Koreas that pledged "economic growth and co-prosperity." It calls for connecting roads and railways between the two Koreas. In and of itself, that's unobjectionable. However it could be an economic lifeline that eases pressure before nuclear concessions are made.
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