Momentum for peace

Say what you will about their personality quirks; that was still a historic handshake the other day between the leaders of the United States and North Korea. It raised hopes for the end of the decades-old armed conflict on the Korean peninsula and for more stability in the Asia-Pacific.

There were in fact several handshakes between US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un throughout their unprecedented summit in Singapore’s Sentosa island. Long-time Korean watchers, remembering Kim’s previous about-faces, have warned that he may simply be using his latest actions to ramp up his nuclear program even as he commits to “complete denuclearization.”

For now, however, he will enjoy the benefit of the doubt. A looming visit to the White House – and possibly to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida – may help seal Kim’s credentials in committing to the end of war between the Koreas, and the elimination of one of the most serious security threats in the world. There is still a high potential for a reversal of the gains achieved during Kim’s summits with Trump and, before this on April 27, with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The world is closely watching for signs of deception in Kim’s promise to stop its nuclear program. Kim may resent continuing economic sanctions on his country and backpedal on his summit commitments.

Still, the signs are encouraging, with Washington announcing the suspension of military drills with South Korea, as sought by the North, and Pyongyang reporting that Kim has accepted Trump’s invitation to visit the US.

The momentum for peace must be sustained. Even as the world holds Kim to his promise of complete denuclearization, his handshakes with his country’s erstwhile enemy in South Korea and staunch critic in the US have raised cautious optimism for peace.