nuclear disarmament, US-sanctions economy: In any of the thematic areas of the Meeting between Russia’s head of state and North Korea, something Concrete in power to expect. Why the summit of Vladivostok still has relevance.
comment by Christoph Neidhart, Tokio Christoph Neidhart
Christoph Neidhart is the correspondent of the süddeutsche Zeitung in Tokyo, where he lives for nine years. Previously, he was a Visiting Scholar at the Russia Institute of Harvard University and almost eight years as a correspondent in Moscow. Neidhart has published several books, most recently “the Museum of light, Peter Burger Love” and “The noodle, a culture story with a bite”.
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Concrete results are expected from the summit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok. For negotiations on the nuclear disarmament of the Russian President is the wrong address. While the US is insisting on a rapid complete denuclearization, wishes also to Putin of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. But she has for him is not a high priority. Certainly not as long as US troops are stationed in South Korea.
The easing of UN economic sanctions, to Kim’s concerns foremost, not Putin can have – at least not officially, the decisions of the security Council to retain him. In addition, Kim Moscow know this question already on his side; foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has already asked, to loosen the economic embargo. At least occasionally, private company want to secretly Oil from Russia to North Korea. Whether with the acquiescence of Moscow, happens, is not known. Officially, Russia is adhering to the sanctions.
Kim can present itself on the international stage
the third theme, about the Putin and Kim talk, more economic cooperation, are to be expected, no results. Their two economies are too similar, you have little to offer. Russia’s main exports are Oil and Gas; those of North Korea were, until the sanctions were tightened, coal and raw materials. What North Korea needs, are modern, highly industrialized Partner, in search of a cheap production site and its dilapidated infrastructure and build help. The only promising large-scale project that could push Kim and Putin is progressing, the already-thought-out linkage of the South Korean railway through North Korea’s leading TRANS-Siberian railway. This connection would allow the industry of South Korea, to send their exports on the Rail to Europe. It would be cheaper and faster than the sea. The fact Putin was with his call for three-sided cooperation between Russia and the two Koreas. But for the time being, the sanctions Moscow to ban any new joint economic projects with Pyongyang.
Nevertheless, the summit of Vladivostok relevance. The Meeting offers the until recently completely isolated Kim the next opportunity to present itself on the international stage as head of state. To his audience at home. He is a conversation partner of the Great ones of this world. At the same time, the two normalize the complex relations of their countries. In small steps, North Korea, previously a blind spot on the map North-East Asia progresses, to a almost normal neighbors. Only to Japan, Pyongyang still does not have a wire. But this is not just to Kim.
in Addition, Kim is demonstrating to the American President Donald Trump, that he has Alternatives to a dialogue with Washington. Russia is not an attractive Alternative, but Trump should try again sometime, to force North Korea with sanctions and military threats in the knee, they lose credibility, if Kim is laughing with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping photograph.
