Another Week; Another Missile Test: Inching Toward a Freeze – With Eyes Wide Shut?

Another Week; Another Missile Test: Inching Toward a Freeze – With Eyes Wide Shut?

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This commentary analyzes evolving U.S. policy toward the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) in early 2017 amid recurring missile tests and diplomatic efforts involving China. After the Trump administration replaced “strategic patience” with a mix of military posturing, diplomatic pressure, and reliance on Beijing, Pyongyang continued ballistic missile launches that heightened regional tensions. The article examines Chinese calls for both North Korea to halt tests and the U.S.–South Korea alliance to suspend joint exercises, alongside discussions at the Trump–Xi Mar-a-Lago summit. It critically evaluates proposals for a freeze on North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, arguing that such an approach risks tacitly recognizing North Korea as a nuclear state, empowering Pyongyang’s bargaining position, and leaving significant weapons capabilities intact without achieving verifiable denuclearization. The analysis urges reaffirming multilateral commitments such as the Six-Party Joint Statement rather than settling for a partial freeze that obscures core security objectives.

Document Type

Article

Topic(s)

National Security, Strategic Competition, Nuclear Policy

Region(s)

Korean Peninsula, China, United States

Publication Date

5-24-2017

Keywords

North Korea, missile tests, nuclear freeze, U.S. policy, Trump administration, China diplomacy, Korean Peninsula, denuclearization, Six-Party Talks, strategic patience, Pyongyang

Another Week; Another Missile Test: Inching Toward a Freeze – With Eyes Wide Shut?

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