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As the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics approached in 2017, there had been concern North Korea could spoil the games with a missile provocation.
All that changed on New Year’s Day, thanks to what could be a New Year’s resolution from Kim Jong Un: Get along with South Korea.
Encouraging signs so far have followed the overtures, which included a Kim offer to send North Korean Olympians to the Winter Games.
There was first the 20-minute phone call on a re-established communication channel that runs through the truce village of Panmunjom.
Nothing of consequence was discussed between the technicians of the North and South, who were just making sure the line was working after two years of disuse.
Then on Friday North Korea accepted an offer to participate in high-level talks with Seoul officials.
Not all are embracing the improving mood in South Korea this week, however.
Gen. Vincent Brooks, who heads 28,500 U.S. troops on the peninsula, said expectations must be kept at the “appropriate level” and the military needs to stay on alert.
Brooks, like other U.S. officials, are concerned Kim’s message of reconciliation, timed right before the Olympics, is being sent to create friction among neighboring countries, while the State Department said Pyongyang may be “trying to drive a wedge” between Washington and Seoul.
The Trump administration may be monitoring Seoul’s next move.
A South Korean newspaper interviewed a senior U.S. official who voiced opposition to any Seoul funding of the North Korean national team during the Olympics, at a time when there is rising speculation South Korea could send a cruise ship to transport the North Koreans.
Private funding of North Korean Olympians, however, would be acceptable, the unnamed official told the Segye Ilbo.
Other U.S. officials have taken a stronger anti-North Korea position, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The lawmaker said North Korea should not be allowed to participate in the Winter Olympics and suggested in a tweet South Korea ban them from attending.
A few days later Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun defended Seoul’s position, and reaffirmed the Olympics as an opportunity to improve inter-Korea relations.
By Thursday, Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in had agreed to postpone joint exercises.
As the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics approached in 2017, there had been concern North Korea could spoil the games with a missile provocation.
All that changed on New Year’s Day, thanks to what could be a New Year’s resolution from Kim Jong Un: Get along with South Korea.
Encouraging signs so far have followed the overtures, which included a Kim offer to send North Korean Olympians to the Winter Games.
There was first the 20-minute phone call on a re-established communication channel that runs through the truce village of Panmunjom.
Nothing of consequence was discussed between the technicians of the North and South, who were just making sure the line was working after two years of disuse.
Then on Friday North Korea accepted an offer to participate in high-level talks with Seoul officials.
Not all are embracing the improving mood in South Korea this week, however.
Gen. Vincent Brooks, who heads 28,500 U.S. troops on the peninsula, said expectations must be kept at the “appropriate level” and the military needs to stay on alert.
Brooks, like other U.S. officials, are concerned Kim’s message of reconciliation, timed right before the Olympics, is being sent to create friction among neighboring countries, while the State Department said Pyongyang may be “trying to drive a wedge” between Washington and Seoul.
The Trump administration may be monitoring Seoul’s next move.
A South Korean newspaper interviewed a senior U.S. official who voiced opposition to any Seoul funding of the North Korean national team during the Olympics, at a time when there is rising speculation South Korea could send a cruise ship to transport the North Koreans.
Private funding of North Korean Olympians, however, would be acceptable, the unnamed official told the Segye Ilbo.
Other U.S. officials have taken a stronger anti-North Korea position, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The lawmaker said North Korea should not be allowed to participate in the Winter Olympics and suggested in a tweet South Korea ban them from attending.
A few days later Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun defended Seoul’s position, and reaffirmed the Olympics as an opportunity to improve inter-Korea relations.
By Thursday, Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in had agreed to postpone joint exercises.
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