SEOUL -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's meeting with South Korean President Kim Dae Jung last week clearly signaled that the United States will renew bilateral negotiations with North Korea, affirming similar assurances given by Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly at his April 26 confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill.
Armitage's public admission -- even before the completion of the Bush policy review -- that dialogue will be maintained suggests continuity rather than a departure from the objectives of the Clinton administration (though tactics and rhetoric may differ), and may help to achieve bipartisan consensus in Washington on how to deal with North Korea.
The likelihood of renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue is significant, particularly in light of the administration's professed skepticism toward the intentions of the North Korean leadership. As was the case with the Perry review process and the Armitage-led "Team B" report from the National Defense University two years ago, it is clearer than ever that the approaches of the old and new administrations share an essential common foundation -- the necessity to work closely with South Korea. Given the Bush team's emphasis on alliance cooperation, it is inevitable that any successful U.S. policies toward North Korea will be tied to and closely coordinated with those of the South Korean government.