Opinion: A New Negotiation Approach for North Korea Is Needed

While global political attention is focused elsewhere, North Korea continues to systematically advance its nuclear program. This persistent development necessitates a fundamentally new approach to negotiations to mitigate the risks of military confrontation, according to an opinion piece in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

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The program to equip the navy with nuclear weapons is unswervingly following its planned course.

Recent reports indicate that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the launch ceremony for the Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton warship described as the largest ever built in North Korea. This vessel is reportedly capable of deploying nuclear-armed missiles, signaling Pyongyang's intent to expand its military capabilities beyond land-based systems and project power through its navy.

Kim Jong Un stated during the ceremony that the navy's nuclear armament program is proceeding according to plan. The Choe Hyon symbolizes North Korea's ambition to integrate nuclear weapons into its naval forces, extending its military reach beyond near-shore waters.

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The stop of the nuclear program has failed, and international isolation has been significantly perforated by the rapprochement of Russia and North Korea.

The article argues that the long-standing international strategy, primarily pursued by the United States since the 1990s, to halt North Korea's nuclear and missile programs through isolation and sanctions has largely failed. The international isolation of North Korea has been significantly undermined by closer ties with Russia and continued economic support from China. While deterrence by the U.S. and South Korean militaries may still be intact, the core objective of denuclearization appears increasingly unattainable.

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The Choe Hyon symbolizes North Korea's ambitions, not only to rely on land-based nuclear weapons but also to involve the navy and project its military power beyond the nearby coastal waters.