Reducing North Korea’s nuclear threat

OPINION:

On June 12, 2018, President Trump and Kim Jong-un held a summit in Singapore to discuss North Korea’s nuclear program and the potential for denuclearization. During the summit, Mr. Trump committed to provide “security guarantees” to North Korea in exchange for Mr. Kim pledging his unwavering commitment to “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

While this summit may prove to be a first step toward reducing the nuclear threat, the White House and Congress must work together with the international community to create a plan for permanent denuclearization and sufficient verification mechanisms.

In addition to being a rogue state, North Korea also has a history of being a weapons proliferator. During the Bush administration, North Korea withdrew from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and reactivated a nuclear reactor capable of producing plutonium for weapons use.

Additionally, during the Obama administration, North Korea successfully detonated at least three nuclear devices and missiles capable of striking targets in the continental United States. Despite these significant milestones, both administrations did little to deter North Korea from developing nuclear weapons capable of reaching the United States.

The escalation of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program has now spanned across three presidential administrations. Therefore it is clear: Our strategy must change. The United States can no longer afford to pursue ineffective denuclearization policies, especially with the growing threat to our national security.

Obviously, a new approach will not change the result overnight; these things take time. As part of ongoing negotiations there are going to be setbacks. Nevertheless, the United States must stay committed to complete verifiable denuclearization.

Alternatively to past administrations, Mr. Trump rightly put pressure on China, recognizing that there would not be a North Korean regime or a nuclear North Korea without China. In addition, the president created an actionable threat to North Korea by pursuing military buildup and joint military exercises with fellow allies.

Lastly, the president also rallied the international community and aggressively used sanctions that were crippling to North Korea. Then the Trump administration began direct talks and negotiations.

We failed in the Iran deal because the United States settled too soon. The Iran deal had an insufficient inspections regime, contained sunset provisions on developing nuclear weapons and did not address Iran’s robust ballistic missiles program. Ultimately, we left the negotiating table with a deal that failed to hold Iran accountable and gave a false sense of safety to the American people and our allies.

Concurrent with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s trip, I led a congressional trip to South Korea and met with South Korean officials shortly after the “regrettable” statement made by state-sponsored media in North Korea. Many of the officials acknowledged that some retreat by North Korea was inevitable during negotiations. However, they also continue to firmly believe that Kim Jong-un is absolutely committed to denuclearization and that he is going to push his nation toward the West and bring North Korea back into the international community.

Whether their beliefs are astute, it is undeniable that this unique time in history, coupled with the willingness of the United States to directly engage, gives us an opportunity for success. But the United States cannot trust North Korea based on a vague commitment to an undefined “denuclearization” and a handshake.

The Obama administration settled with a flawed deal because they accepted what they believed Iran would give them. Instead, we need to conclude a deal with North Korea that ensures the safety and security of the American people and our allies and accept nothing less than verifiable, permanent and complete denuclearization.

• Mike Turner, a Republican U.S. representative from Ohio, is chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, and a member of the House Intelligence Committee.