The U.S. has been failing to denuclearize North Korea for so long.
The chronology can be seen here.
- 1985: North Korea accedes to the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) but does not complete a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
- 1992: The two Koreas sign the South-North Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. For the first time, North Korea allows IAEA inspection. The inspectors discover discrepancies in North Korea’s “initial report” on its nuclear program and ask for clarification on several issues, including the amount of reprocessed plutonium in North Korea.
- 1993: The IAEA demands special inspections of two sites that are believed to store nuclear waste. The request is based on strong evidence that North Korea has been cheating on its commitments under the NPT. North Korea refuses the IAEA’s request, and announces its intention to withdraw from the NPT.
- 1994: An “agreed statement” is signed between US that establishes a three-stage process for the elimination of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. In return, the United States promises to move toward normalized economic and diplomatic relations.
- 1996: North Korea was detected to do a test of its medium-range Nodong missile.
- 1998: North Korea launches a three-stage Taepo Dong-1 rocket with a range of 1,500-2,000 kilometers that flies over Japan.
- 2002: The US reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.
- 2003: North Korea withdraw from the NPT.
- 2005: North Korea tentativeley agrees to give up its entire nuclear program in exchange of energy assistance and economic cooperation.
- 2006: North Korea claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon.
- 2007: North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reatcor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million. However, it later misses the deadline to disable its weapons facilities.
- 2008: North Korea refuses to allow international inspectors to access suspected nuclear sites.
- 2009: North Korea announces it has conducted its second nuclear test.
- 2012: The State Department announces that North Korea has agreed to a moratorium on long-range missile launches and nuclear activity.
- 2013: North Korea says it will continue nuclear testing and long-range rocket launches.
So what happend this time at the Singapoor Summit....Trump and Kim met, shook hands, but no declaration of a "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" of nuclear weapons and no concrete plan of denuclearization. Moreover, Trump suddenly announced he would suspend military drills between US and South Korea, which has made South Korea and Japan anxious. Some even say this was the main aim of Trump. American withdrawal from the area is a gift for North Korea and China. The New York Times says South Korea and Japan may have to reconsider its own military options including to go nuclear itself. The geopolitics in the area might be changing, and we should keep an eye on it.