YCAPS Special Advisor Michael Bosack has published a series of articles concerning North Korean issue on Japan Times with a different point of view. In March, while the 'no agreement' seemed to disappointed some watchers, he argued for the upside of a 'no agreement' in Hanoi negotiation between the US and North Korea as the agreement should be a real commitment rather than a rushed deal of denuclearization. (1)
In May, he stressed the importance to bring the US and North Korea back to negotiation table. He pointed out that North Korea, despite the announcing strong terms towards the US' position on denuclearization, are still willing to negotiate. The next step for the US should be reconsidering the negotiation strategy.(2)
Mr. Bosack also commented on the window of opportunity for Japan to negotiate with North Korea, reviewing the negotiations between the two actors in the past decades. He pointed out that the objectives of Japan in the negotiation must be set among paradoxical goals, where it may be especially difficult for the two actors to reach agreement on denuclearization.(3)
For the full text of the articles mentioned above, please find the following links:
(1) 'The upside of 'no agreement' in Hanoi' The Japan Times, March 4, 2019
(2) 'Getting U.S.-North Korean talks back on track' The Japan Times, May 1, 2019
(3) 'The market is open for Japan and North Korea' The Japan Times, May 9, 2019