Victor Cha's May/June 2026 article, "North Korea as It Is," which asserted that three decades of diplomacy constituted a strategic failure and that North Korean leaders were uniformly deceitful and determined to build a nuclear arsenal, is directly refuted by Choi Jong Kun and Joel S. Wit. They argue that Cha's narrative of diplomatic futility is fundamentally flawed.
Contrary to Cha's claims, North Korea was prepared to negotiate the dismantling of its nuclear program in the early 1990s, particularly after South Korea normalized relations with Russia and China. Pyongyang, facing increased vulnerability and a lack of allies, offered a phased denuclearization in exchange for specific U.S. actions aimed at improving bilateral relations. This counter-argument highlights missed opportunities for engagement and challenges the premise of unwavering North Korean nuclear ambition, suggesting a more complex historical context for diplomatic efforts.
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