[News Today] “Denuclearization tough under Trump”

[LEAD]
With the new administration just taking office, experts from South Korea, China and Japan explored how the three countries could cooperate under a second Trump presidency. They warned that progress on North Korea's nuclear issue would be hard to achieve, even if talks between Washington and Pyongyang resume.

[REPORT]
U.S. President Donald Trump has consistently called for resuming dialogue with North Korea.

However, experts in South Korea, China and Japan project that amid closer ties between the North and Russia, even if talks are held between Pyongyang and Washington, negotiations won't be easy.

Prof. Chun Chae-sung / Seoul Nat'l University
Externally, N. Korea's standing is at its strongest due to closer ties with Russia and China and its emergence as a global military actor.

Experts also note that as Trump seeks to highlight his achievements rather than fully resolving North Korean security concerns, he's likely to focus on a partial nuclear freeze, inspections and arms control rather than a complete denuclearization.

China’s role is also key alongside South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. But with U.S.-China rivalry intensifying, experts say active involvement from Beijing is unlikely.

Prof. Cho Yang-hyun / Korea Nat'l Diplomatic Academy
China has not shown active involvement in North Korean denuclearization. As U.S.-China strategic rivalry grows, it’s becoming less of a priority.

Meanwhile, regarding response measures to the Trump administration's policies that counter free trade, experts suggest that South Korea, Japan and China expand their economic cooperation based on a rules-based free trade order.