CNN, US-Iran Crisis Expected to Hinder North Korea Nuclear Talks... "North Korea Will Cling More to Its Nuclear Program"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The death of Qasem Soleimani, a key figure in the Iranian military, has added negative prospects to the North Korean nuclear negotiations.

CNN reported on the 7th (local time) in an article titled "Lessons Kim Jong-un Learns from Soleimani's Death," diagnosing that "the decision to kill Soleimani has added wrinkles to the North Korean nuclear negotiations."

It revealed that the threat from U.S. President Donald Trump, triggered by Soleimani's removal, is not always just bluster.

Accordingly, CNN analyzed that even if North Korea is considering provocations such as long-range ballistic missile or nuclear weapon tests, it will temporarily restrain provocations due to Soleimani's elimination.

However, a former U.S. Department of Defense official expressed concern that Soleimani's removal could fundamentally lead to more dangerous outcomes.

Ben Jackson, a former Department of Defense official during President Barack Obama's administration, pointed out, "North Korea sees the U.S. as an untrustworthy adversary," adding, "North Korea already believes that the only thing that has made its fate different from Iraq or Libya is its nuclear weapons."

Previously, North Korea repeatedly mentioned Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi of Libya while emphasizing why nuclear weapons are necessary and why it hesitates to give them up. In particular, Gaddafi gave up his nuclear weapons in the early 2000s in exchange for sanctions relief but was killed in 2011 by U.S.-backed rebels.

Jackson predicted that for Kim Jong-un, the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, after seeing Soleimani's elimination, if he thinks President Trump might order a drone attack on North Korea, he "may feel stronger pressure to maintain the ability to press the nuclear button at any time."

CNN also conveyed the view that unlike Iran, it would be difficult for the U.S. to carry out a high-level decapitation operation or use the "bloody nose strategy" mentioned by President Trump against North Korea.

Since North Korea has already developed nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S., CNN reported that the U.S. will have no choice but to carefully consider before using military options against North Korea.

Adam Mount, a senior researcher at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), diagnosed, "If something happens to the leadership, North Korea can sufficiently make the opponent pay a price."

Researcher Mount also predicted that the Soleimani removal operation would further strengthen North Korea's determination to expand its nuclear deterrence.