January 22, 2020
Diplomacy with North Korea: A Status Report
Overview
criticized the United States’ continuation of sanctions, joint
Since President Donald Trump first agreed in March 2018
military exercises with South Korea, and shipments of
to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to
advanced military equipment to South Korea. Kim warned
discuss North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, the
that “the world will witness a new strategic weapon to be
Trump Administration has emphasized the importance of
possessed by the DPRK in the near future.”
developing a strong leader-to-leader relationship. The
strategy appears to presume that this approach will produce
The U.S. and DPRK positions appear to be no closer than
more results than the working-group negotiations employed
they were during the February 2019 Hanoi summit, which
by previous administrations. Trump and Kim have held
ended without an agreement due to differences over the
three meetings: in Singapore (June 2018); in Hanoi
scope and sequencing of DPRK denuclearization measures
(February 2019); and in Panmunjom (June 2019). Kim also
in exchange for sanctions relief. The two countries have not
has met on five occasions with Chinese President Xi
agreed on denuclearization steps; whether an agreement
Jinping, three with South Korean President Moon Jae-in,
will include DPRK missiles, chemical weapons, biological
and one with Russian President Vladimir Putin, none of
weapons, and/or conventional forces; and the mechanisms
whom he had met before 2018.
for verifying any agreement, including inspection and
monitoring arrangements. Meanwhile, China, Russia, and,
Overall, these diplomatic activities reduced tensions on the
to a lesser extent, South Korea have called for a relaxation
Korean Peninsula in 2018 and 2019. Trump and Kim have
of sanctions on North Korea, including Beijing and
developed a personal relationship that Trump says could
Moscow’s December 2019 proposal to lift several
produce a breakthrough. Kim has pledged to denuclearize,
categories of U.N. sanctions. The Trump Administration
and has maintained a moratorium on nuclear tests and
rejected the proposals as “premature.”
intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
If talks restart, U.S. negotiators—and Members of Congress
From the outset of the U.S.-North Korean rapprochement in
conducting oversight—would face the question of whether
2018, critics of the Trump Administration’s approach
to aim for incremental dismantlement of North Korea’s
pointed out that Kim’s public denuclearization promises
nuclear program in step with gradual sanctions relief, or to
have been conditional and vague. Moreover, North Korea
try for a “big deal” and demand that complete
appears to be enhancing its military capabilities. In addition
denuclearization precede full sanctions relief. A related
to continuing to produce nuclear material, between May
question is whether the Administration would accept partial
and December 2019 North Korea conducted over a dozen
denuclearization as an outcome of talks. The possibility of
multiple short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) tests, in
full sanctions relief is complicated by the other reasons the
violation of United Nations (U.N.) prohibitions, possibly
United States has leveled sanctions on North Korea,
advancing its solid fuel and guidance systems and
including human rights abuses, money laundering, illicit
developing capabilities to thwart short-range missile
weapons trade, international terrorism, and offensive cyber
defense systems.
operations.
Status of U.S.-DPRK Negotiations
Key Developments Since March 2018
As of January 2020, aside from a one-hour June 2019
meeting between Trump and Kim in Panmunjom, the
North Korea’s Nuclear and Missile Programs
United States and North Korea (officially known as the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK) have
Kim in 2018 publicly agreed to “work toward complete
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” pledging
held one round of official talks since the Hanoi summit.
“permanent dismantlement” of nuclear facilities in
U.S. officials say their North Korean counterparts have
Yongbyon—an important nuclear site—“as the United
refused to engage in additional negotiations.
States takes corresponding measures.” He promised to
In late December 2019, Kim announced that, due to the
dismantle North Korea’s Sohae missile and satellite
United States’ policies “to completely strangle and stifle the
launch site in the presence of international inspectors,
DPRK,” “there is no ground” for North Korea to continue
and agreed to allow experts to visit a nuclear test site
to maintain its nuclear and missile testing moratorium. Kim
that North Korea says it has disabled.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Diplomacy with North Korea: A Status Report
Figure 1. Timeline of North Korean Ballistic Missile and Nuclear Tests,
UNSC Sanctions, and Major Summits, 2016-2019
North Korea has not tested a nuclear weapon or test-
along the demilitarized zone (DMZ). North Korea has
launched intercontinental ballistic missiles since
not implemented many of its commitments, but
November 2017. In March 2018, South Korea said Kim
observers have noted a reduction in tension in the DMZ.
promised to suspend “strategic provocations,” including
Trump in June 2018 unilaterally cancelled major annual
nuclear tests and long-range ballistic missile test
U.S.-South Korea military exercises to facilitate
launches, while dialogue continues. In Panmunjom, Kim
diplomacy with North Korea. Subsequently, Congress
reportedly made a similar pledge. Trump has said he has
inserted provisions into defense authorization legislation
“no problem” with North Korea’s multiple short-range
(P.L. 115-232; P.L. 116-92) that condition the
ballistic missile tests in 2019.
President’s authority to reduce U.S. troops in South
Korea.
Diplomatic and Economic Developments
In a related development, the U.S. and South Korean
governments were unable to renew their Special
North Korea and China have restored close diplomatic
Measures Agreement (SMA) on dividing the costs of
relations. The relationship had been strained since Kim
basing U.S. troops in South Korea before the previous
became leader in 2011.
SMA expired at the end of 2019. Contingency funds to
There is some indication that several countries are less
pay for South Korean workers servicing U.S. bases
robust in enforcing international sanctions than before
probably will run out in late winter/early spring 2020.
the rapprochement. The United Nations has documented
North Korea’s efforts to evade sanctions, including ship
The Trump Administration has demanded steep
-
increases in South Korea’s contributions, and Trump has
to-ship transfers of oil and coal in the waters off China’s
and Russia’s coasts.
said it is debatable whether the U.S. troop presence in
Russia has skirted the end-of-2019
South Korea serves U.S. interests.
requirement to send North Korean labor teams home by
issuing them tourism and education visas.
Other Developments
In 2018, the two Koreas and the United States agreed to
build a “peace regime,” which could start with a
In May 2018, North Korea released three American
declaration formally ending the Korean War. The
detainees. Previous U.S. Administrations also secured
United States and DPRK have discussed exchanging
the release of U.S. citizens detained in the DPRK,
diplomatic liaison offices. There has been little-to-no
including 11 individuals freed during the Obama
progress in these areas since the Hanoi summit.
Administration.
In 2018, North Korea and South Korea opened a
In 2018, North Korea repatriated remains of possible
permanent liaison office near Kaesong, North Korea.
U.S. Korea War-era troops, resulting in more than 40
Since the Hanoi summit, however, Pyongyang largely
positive identifications, and the two countries appeared
has ignored Seoul. International and U.S. sanctions
poised to resume the repatriation program that had
prevent Seoul from independently pursuing many inter-
identified over 400 remains until the United States
Korean projects President Moon favors. In January
terminated the program in 2005. No progress was made
2020, Moon’s government reiterated its desire to obtain
on this issue during 2019.
waivers to permit these projects and/or to pursue
initiatives—such as inter-Korean tourism—that it argues
Mark E. Manyin, Specialist in Asian Affairs
are not covered by U.N. sanctions.
Emma Chanlett-Avery, Specialist in Asian Affairs
Military Developments
Mary Beth D. Nikitin, Specialist in Nonproliferation
Dianne E. Rennack, Specialist in Foreign Policy
In 2018, the two Koreas signed a military confidence-
Legislation
building agreement that calls for reduced military
activity around the border and removes guard posts
IF11415
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Diplomacy with North Korea: A Status Report
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