[Editorial] Solution to North’s Nuclear Issue Requires Compromise and Concession

The most significant aspect of the Beijing six-way talks that ended Friday is that the participants have presented concrete frameworks to resolve the 10-month-old nuclear standoff. Although it is regrettable for the US and the North to have failed to narrow their differences, the six-way talks surely laid the foundation for further talks to resolve the nuclear issue. Fortunately, the multilateral dialogue took place as planned and diplomats from the six nations agreed to meet again for further talks. All parties involved should make efforts to find a common ground at a second round of talks by making objective analyses on various proposals presented during the Beijing talks. Earlier is better as long as the settlement of the North’s nuclear issue is concerned.

The six nations gave tacit approval to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The North should take seriously the demands of the surrounding four major powers as well as the South that it should abandon its nuclear ambitions. To address security concerns, the North should comply with the demands of the international community.

Critical prerequisites for the settlement of the North`s nuclear issue at this stage are compromise and concession. Making a breakthrough to the settlement of the issue seems difficult unless the US and the North offer concessions on their previous positions: The US has insisted on the North`s abandonment of its nuclear weapons program first whereas the North has demanded a package deal for the nuclear issue. Both sides should find a common ground to end the standoff as China suggested at the talks. If the US and the North take proposals presented by South Korea, China, Japan, Russia seriously, this will serve as a shortcut to the settlement.

Another important thing is they should refrain from agitating other parties by downplaying the outcome of the six-way talks. Although the talks in Beijing went smoothly, the venue and date of a second round of talks have not been set. In addition, the six-party talks ended without a joint statement. Against this backdrop, highlighting their differences will dampen the hard-won mood for dialogue between concerned parties.

It is undesirable for the North to have unilaterally revealed the agreement reached during the three-day talks to reporters and to have criticized “the US for putting the fate of the second round of the talks at risk.” To seek a peaceful resolution to the nuclear issue, concerned parties should compromise with their dialogue partners. Now, the North should bear in mind that the ball for the settlement of the nuclear issue is in its court.