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Diplomacy simply put is a war of words fought across the negotiating table, on Twitter, and in the halls of governments around the world rather than on a physical battlefield. These verbal skirmishes explain the US-North Korean relationship, where a single translated phrase could mean the difference between bloody conflict and potential peace on the peninsula. Washington’s discussions this summer with Pyongyang resemble an extended shuttlecock volley, or the long game in tennis, played from the baseline with each side taking shots repeatedly at their opponent to test commitment and the other side’s ability to enforce its policy.

President Trump warned Americans earlier this year we were playing a long game. He announced he was going to attempt progress toward resolving the conflict on the Korean peninsula. And we did witness some advances by this summer. Fifty-five sets of Vietnam war remains were returned to the US and the North began disassembling its Sohae Satellite Launching Station.

President Kim, however, did not stop his country’s production of fissile material nor did he cease upgrading the plutonium producing reactor at Yongbyon. The North also continued constructing facilities at Sanumdong for the production of ballistic missiles.

The North’s latest verbal volley this week, in which the regime sent a belligerent letter to Washington, explains why President Trump needed to cancel abruptly upcoming talks scheduled between Secretary of State Pompeo and General Kim Yong Chol. In the last few months of this “war by other means” Washington witnessed Pyongyang call talks with the United States “regrettable” and label the US as having a “gangster-like mindset.”

In response to the lack of forward progress, the President lobbed it back into the North’s court. In a statement issued this week the White House updated the status of President Trump’s efforts to denuclearize North Korea.

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“Nonetheless, the President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games. Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before. As for the U.S.–China trade disputes, and other differences, they will be resolved in time by President Trump and China’s great President Xi Jinping. Their relationship and bond remain very strong.”

In diplomatic parlance the US President is providing the North Korean President room to save face domestically and, perhaps, to create a new opening to move forward toward achieving Washington’s ultimate goal of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. At the same time President Trump is standing firm by putting the North on notice that Washington is capable of changing the game and restarting military exercises at any point should the North behave badly.

President Kim is known for violating commitments he makes in face-to-face meetings. The reality today is that he is not giving up the North’s nuclear weapons. It appears he believes his weapons of mass destruction are what brought the US to the game and Pyongyang a front seat on the world stage. As long as the shuttlecock is in play the battlefield will likely remain a war of words. Pyongyang received this week’s message. Washington is patient but the United States is no paper tiger.

DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media, which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.

Illustration: Pixabay

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