Originally published on the CGS blog on March 2, 2012.
The United States and North Korea announced a breakthrough agreement earlier this week, with North Korea agreeing to suspend nuclear weapons testing and halt the enrichment of uranium in return for more than 200,000 metric tons of food aid. This food aid is crucial to the famine-stricken nation that has been subject to heavy sanctions, mostly due to its unbending commitment to a nuclear program.
The announcement is the first true sign of how North Korea’s young, new leader Kim Jong-un, who took office last December following the unexpected death of his father Kim Jong-il, will approach international negotiations. While the negotiations began before his father’s death, the announcement of an agreement highlights Kim’s willingness to engage in negotiations to secure aid that helps solidify support at home.
While the announcement is a positive sign of North Korea’s willingness to engage, it is far from a true end to North Korea’s nuclear program. North Korea has struck similar deals before without following through. North Korea’s state-run media announced the deal with the notable stipulation that they would hold to their end of the deal only “while productive dialogue continues,” implying that their cooperation could end at any point. However, the agreement is certainly a step in the right direction.
The agreement with North Korea can also be a lesson to the ongoing tension with Iran over its nuclear development. While North Korea and Iran are very different nations with very different motives for developing a nuclear weapon, the agreement with North Korea shows that the United States can make progress without resorting to military strikes if they are willing to make substantial offers of economic aid, something Iran will likely soon need due to the heavy sanctions the international community has recently enacted against Tehran. The deal with North Korea certainly represents positive progress towards a future free from nuclear weapons.
