The Australian argues that satellite surveillance showing Pyongyang is continuing and even expanding work on building nuclear weapons casts serious doubt on Donald Trump’s assertion after his summit with Kim Jong-un that “there is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea”.
The satellite imagery and other US intelligence indicate that the North has increased the production of nuclear fuel at multiple sites and the improvement of its nuclear research centre at Yongbyon has progressed at a rapid pace in recent months.
The Australian says that the reports bring into question Kim’s commitment to “expeditiously work towards denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula”, as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.
His father and grandfather agreed to denuclearise in 2008 and 1994 respectively, then backtracked to extract more concessions from Washington.
The paper points out that Kim Jong-un should not be allowed to exercise the same tactic which seems to be an updated version of the game played by his father and grandfather.
The Australian emphasizes that it is imperative not to be “starry-eyed” about North Korea and to stick to what should be the basis of all dealings with the regime: no concessions until Pyongyang has fully, irreversibly and verifiably denuclearised.
