Six-Party Standstill

Five nations have worked for years, trying to convince North Korea to give up on a nuclear-weapons program. “Success will inevitably remain out of reach,” argues the Economist, and that’s because “the regime has no intention of ever halting its nuclear activities.” The only reason that major powers like China, the US, Russia and Japan pay much attention to North Korea is because of its weapons program. The regime keeps promising to eliminate the weapons, in exchange for aid, but then drags its feet on inspections and actual reductions. North Korea’s emphasis on weapons only prolongs the nation’s poverty and isolation. The Economist notes that Obama administration must decide whether it will continue with the charade of negotiations – “a bizarre bit of bartering in which America (and now other countries) fork over money, oil and other things in return for empty promises” – or find a new strategy. – YaleGlobal