Sanctions move will put progress with DPRK at risk

T

he tensions between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have generally eased since the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June.

Over the past year, the DPRK has made great endeavors to denuclearize the peninsula, which include declaring it will not conduct any nuclear or missile tests, discarding the nuclear test field in the north, dismantling the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, and transferring the remains of US military personnel to the US. All these moves reflect Pyongyang’s willingness to improve relations with Washington.

Kim’s three meetings with Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in, together with the Panmunjom Declaration and Pyongyang Joint Declaration, show the two Koreas shared resolve to make breakthroughs in solving the peninsula issue. Their joint actions of removing land mines in the Demilitarized Zone and removing the sentry posts, as well as initiating the process of connecting their railways indicate they have quickly deepened their mutual trust, and laid a good foundation for future cooperation.

But the latest sanctions Washington has imposed on DPRK officials undoubtedly add fresh uncertainties to the political resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue, making it an unwise move that is against interests of all relevant parties.

The lack of mutual trusts between Washington and Pyongyang is the crux of the issue, as it has obstructed the improvement of their relations. The series of positive measures of the latter have not prompted the US to relax its sanctions, causing a deadlock in their negotiations on denuclearization. No wonder the DPRK’s Korean Central News Agency criticized Washington for using two faces to deal with Pyongyang: bragging about the improvement of relations, and persisting with the sanctions.

By resorting to its old tricks in trying to get the DPRK to yield, the US risks wasting all progress that has been made so far. Washington should know that what has been achieved so far has come from carrots, not sticks.