Keith Luse on Principles for the US to Address North Korea's Nuclear Program

May 4, 2021

In an essay in a new edited volume from the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, NCNK Executive Director Keith Luse lays out principles and ideas to guide a successful U.S. negotiation process with North Korea.

In his contribution to NCAFP's New Thinking on Persistent Security Challenges in the Asia Pacific, Luse elaborates on eight ideas that U.S. negotiators should keep in mind:

  • Remember that North Koreans incorporate the lessons of history into their negotiating strategies.
  • Determine the basis for any US contributions to failures of past negotiations.
  • Bring Congress into the negotiations process sooner rather than later.
  • Have ongoing consultation with the United Nations.
  • Decouple nuclear weapons negotiations and humanitarian assistance, and open a humanitarian banking channel to the DPRK.
  • Encourage citizen diplomacy.
  • Be mindful of Kim Jong Un’s long-term aspirations.
  • Establish a two-person panel, a woman and a man of distinguished accomplishments and highly regarded by global peers, (and both having the respect of US and DPRK leaders) to serve as mediators between the two countries.

The edited volume from NCAFP, including Luse's essay, is available here.