North Korea's Six Party Talks

After the United States bombed Japan in World War Two, Korea was divided into two countries: North and South Korea. The economy in each country had different outcomes, which prevented and complicated these two countries coming back together. The US and five other countries, including North and South Korea, were involved in the Six Party Talks to try to combine the two conflicting countries. In 2005, North Korea was afraid it was giving away to much information about their nuclear weapons and they withdrew from the Six Party Talk. Although the United States has participated in talks with North Korea before, the US should engage in talks with them because they need to make a decision that will affect the country by preventing starvation or saving their nuclear weapons program.
As stated in the New York Times, “Almost one out of two children is chronically malnourished...
North Korea runs a shortage of one million tons of food a year” (Sang-Hun). The United States should engage in talks with North Korea because their people are the ones suffering due to lack of nutrition. The government should understand that the future of North Korea wouldn’t look too bright with a smaller population and residents that are more angered than today. Also, since this country is under a dictatorship, the people have no input on topics, such as this one, that can help the bulk of their people. If the government were to continue to go against the people, an uprising should be expected and to other countries this wouldn’t come as a shock. With the help of the United States, the US can compromise with the North Korean government and supply aid for the deprived people. Not only is it in the best interest for the North Koreans, but for their government to negotiate to keep themselves in
power. Another worry for the United States is North Korea has possession of nuclear weapons. As stated in the New York Times, “Since six-party talks ended, North Korea has detonated a nuclear device and tested a long-range rocket that may one day be able to carry nuclear warheads “ (Knowlton and Sang-Hun). With having this as a “safety” or backup, Kim Jung IL is believed to have sold nuclear parts to Iran and Syria. What’s even worse is North Korea has the choice to sell their nuclear materials to Al Qaeda. The United States is concerned that if Al Qaeda were to possess these materials, they could create nuclear weapons and use this to hurt other countries, such as the US and Israel. Al Qaeda has no guilt for hurting large masses of people, so firing these VERY dangerous weapons, and killing people, wouldn’t be on their conscious. If the United States were to engage in talks with North Korea, they could compromise on dismantling their nuclear weapons, and could prevent nuclear materials from getting into the wrong hands. In conclusion, the United States would be making the right decision to engage in talks with North Korea for the sake of their starving people and from keeping nuclear materials out of the hands of Al Qaeda. This would help secure our safety and could potentially give the United States another ally in Asia. North Koreans are starving and with out the nuclear weapons they receive aid, if North Korea were to keep their nuclear weapons the civilians continue to starve.

Brian Knowlton and Choe Sang-Hun, New U.S. Envoy to Talk With North Koreans, New York Times, October 19, 2011.
Choe Sang-Hun, Head of U.N. Humanitarian Aid Paints Dire Scene in North Korea, New York Times, October 24, 2011