Analysts say the latest developments on the Korean peninsular cast no doubt on the possibility of fulfilling the goal of denuclearising the peninsular in the future.

Though few details of these developments were disclosed, shuttle diplomacy with the participation of US envoy Christopher Hill and IAEA official Olli Heinonen and the upcoming visit to Pyongyang by newly-appointed Foreign Minister of China Yang Jiechi has demonstrated the friendliest atmosphere between concerned parties since the nuclear standoff. Over the past five years, Christopher Hill has been the top US official to conduct negotiations in Pyongyang as a gesture of goodwill towards cooperation. And now Mr Heinonen’s visit marks the first return to Pyongyang by IAEA officials after they were expelled from the country in 2002 due to differences on the nuclear issue.

The positive moves on the Korean peninsular show the great efforts and goodwill of concerned parties, particularly the US and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), towards resolving the issue.

Less than a year ago, the world witnessed many fluctuations in the behaviour of Washington and Pyongyang. But with mutual diplomacy the two countries have reached a level of agreement. Both have their own reasons: The US has been confronted with a number of issues ranging from the Iraq war to the Middle East peace process and the Iranian nuclear crisis, and resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsular would give President George W. Bush a chance to restore public confidence before he ends his term of office.

Meanwhile, Pyongyang seemed to have reached its goal of attracting US attention to the Korean peninsular following its announcement of nuclear developments, especially its first nuclear missile test, which shocked the international community last year.

The easing of the crisis is also attributed to the recent efforts of mediators China and Russia. While China played its role in encouraging concerned parties to participate in talks culminating in the signing of the February 13 agreement, Russia successfully arranged the transfer of Pyongyang’s US$25 million sum from a Macau bank. There is no denying that multilateral diplomacy is considered a practical way to break the deadlock over the nuclear issue. 

Analysts say the closure of Yongbyon reactor in the DPRK is now merely a technical issue. Yet, it is the first step towards denuclearising the Korean peninsular. Under the February 13 agreement, Pyongyang will receive aid worth 50,000 tonnes of diesel oil or a sum of equivalent value in exchange for the closure of the main reactor and other related facilities in Yongbyon within 60 days in the presence of international inspectors. In turn, the US will lift its commercial sanctions on Pyongyang and exclude it from its list of alleged terrorist supporters. However, there is still a long way to go for concerned parties to fulfil the final goal of denuclearising the Korean peninsular.

It is hoped that the latest developments on the Korean peninsular will act as a catalyst for building up confidence between all parties concerned, particularly the US and DPRK.