Although things have been quiet in recent months and there has been no active dialogue between North Korea and the United States US , developments in recent days suggest that Pyongyang is back on the agenda of the international community.
First, it became known that the US has been reaching out to North Korea through several channels, starting in mid-February, but it has not heard back.
North Korea then published two statements within as many days by two high-ranking officials. North Korea is raising the stakes ahead of the conclusions of the policy review process in the US while simultaneously conveying the message that the door is open for re-engagement at some point.
Further developments in USโNorth Korea relations will, to a significant extent, depend on the outcomes of the policy review process. Although this process is not yet completed, it is apparent that the policies of the Biden administration will differ significantly from those of the Trump administration. Rather, Washington is trying to restore a consultative process by involving the regional actors in northeast Asia more directly in the North Korea question โ and possibly trying to once again multilateralize the nuclear issue in the longer run.
Whether more consultation leads to actual consensus remains to be seen. Second, the US will most likely propose a processual solution to the nuclear issue. Third, the new administration seems to place a greater focus on the human rights issue in its policies on North Korea. Act, not react: As past experiences with North Korea have shown, it is now critical for the United States to act quickly and clearly communicate its new North Korea strategy to both its allies and Pyongyang.
