[Editorial] North Korea-US trust building measures in acceleration

The inter-Korean border at Panmunjeom (Blue House photo pool)

The repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War has begun, with the remains likely to be returned as early as this week. This is the first concrete step that North Korea has taken to implement the agreement it reached during its summit with the US in Singapore on June 12. On June 23, South Korea and the US announced that they would be indefinitely suspending the Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP), just four days after they suspended the Freedom Guardian exercises. While it is true that the two sides still have a long way to go before tangible progress is made on denuclearization and regime security, the acceleration of confidence-building measures is encouraging.

So far, North Korea does not appear to have taken any steps toward shutting down its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) engine testing grounds, as it promised. But it is worth noting that Uriminzokkiri, a North Korean state-run website that runs propaganda aimed at South Korea, said on June 24 that “if the Americans take legitimate confidence-building measures to improve relations with North Korea, the North will follow suit by continuing with the next stage of good-will steps.”

These comments came one day after more than 100 wooden boxes for repatriating the remains of military service members were moved to the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjeom. Considering that North Korea is well aware that there is considerable displeasure in the US about improving relations with the North, these remarks appear to be a call for the Trump administration to take steps that are more credible than mere words.

It is in this sense that South Korea and the US’s postponement of KMEP is very significant. In contrast with the large-scale Freedom Guardian exercises, which were predicted on all-out war on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has never explicitly called for the suspension of KMEP, which South Korean marines and US marines stationed on Okinawa, Japan, had conducted around 20 times a year near Baekryeong Island, which is near the North Korean border, and the city of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. This announcement, which upsets predictions that South Korea and the US would continue small-scale military exercises, is notable in that it shows that the two countries are genuinely committed to improving relations with the North, and are not just making a show of it.

There is also the possibility that other joint exercises involving the navy and air force will be delayed as well. Despite criticism from some quarters that South Korea and the US are giving the North concessions without getting anything in return, such preemptive action could serve as a positive way to build confidence while also urging the North to take quick action toward denuclearization.

During the two months since the Apr. 27 Panmunjeom Declaration, once unimaginable developments have occurred. We hope that they will set the stage for measures in which North Korea and the US move beyond jockeying for position and a little closer toward the essence of denuclearization and security guarantee during US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s third visit to North Korea, which is likely to happen soon.

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Caption: The inter-Korean border at Panmunjeom (Blue House photo pool)