U.S.-North Korea talks aim for increasingly unlikely denuclearization

Between the lines: The failure of four U.S. administrations to stop this threat stems from an assumption that Pyongyang is motivated by a search for security.

Yet the regime has not faced a significant threat since war ended in 1953, other than in response to its unilateral aggression. Instead, it seeks a war-fighting capability to dominate the South and even the region. And there is little evidence North Korea faces economic difficulties crippling enough to compel it to relinquish its nuclear achievements.

The worst misconception has been to see an ally in China, which has facilitated the threat’s growth by ensuring the regime’s security from attack and undermining any sanctions that threatened its economy. China also benefits from Washington’s floundering on the world stage while its public appeals for help from Beijing go unanswered.