Publications

U.S. efforts to deal with North Korea have always presented an exquisite foreign-policy dilemma: whether to negotiate with a "rogue state" that brutally and systematically violates the human rights of its own people. During its first six years, the Bush administration took a hard line that focused on "regime change" coupled with a refusal to "engage." The unfortunate result is that North Korea is now in possession of many more nuclear bombs (minus one that has been detonated) than when President Bush assumed office. Northeast Asia is no closer to achieving regional peace and stability. The North Korean people continue to suffer.

Starting in 2006, the Bush administration began to adopt a more pragmatic policy by starting direct bilateral negotiations with North Korea while actively participating in the six-party framework. The results have been dramatic. Last week North Korea submitted a declaration of its nuclear program. President Bush promptly reciprocated by scratching North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. The next day the cooling tower of North Korea’s nuclear power plant at Yongbyon was blown up in front of foreign observers and media.