Engaging Pyongyang with Soft Power

Amna Waheed, moderndiplomacy.eu

Pyongyang concert image from article

Public diplomacy [JB emphasis] is various types of government led efforts to establish communication with foreign public. The United States has never had peacemaking relations with the North Korea, it is additionally in light of the fact that in early 1990’s North Korea marked Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty however soon it pulled back from that settlement, and US blamed North Korea for deceiving by delicately seeking after a uranium enhancement program.

From here the aggressive behavior of US began against the North Korea. Now the North Korea also possesses the nuclear weapons and has tested them several times and it also claims that its nuclear weapons can also attack the US land. So, now the US has to accept this bitter truth, it has also created a security dilemma for the US. On its sixth nuclear Missile test, Sanctions were imposed on North Korea and also the policy of isolation was adopted against them, besides applying all these tactics the North Korea did not backed up from its nuclear program as for them, it is a Valuable asset for their survival as well as a tool for deterrence against other states. So, now United States must opt for a soft power, using Public Diplomacy as it could manage to calm the tense situation between both the States.

US adopted the policy that could distract the attention of the Korean people by ensuring that the “US does not want to change the regime in North Korea”, it is said to fulfill its policy of making North Korea to remove its nuclear missiles as by listening to this, these people would become relax that US has no bad intention against them but in reality, it’s not like that, they are well aware about the US propagate.

Now, the only way that US could improve its relations with North Korea for the sake of fulfillment of its policy is to establish public diplomacy with the North Korean public, but it’s a big challenge for US to communicate with the North Korean public via any communication medium because the North Korean government is very much strict about its media channels and ensures that all the news must come from its own Korean News Agency and it has been viewed as unlawful for a North Korean resident to get news from any foreign media, this proves to be a biggest barrier in US public diplomacy towards North Korea.

In 2008, US had its first cultural visit to North Korea and organized a concert over there, the show was striking a result of its live transmission crosswise over North Korea and furthermore through its news channels. It was the first step towards initiating public diplomacy, many other service were done by the US to fulfill its aim like the Defense Forum Foundation benefactors radio effort in North Korea. The National Committee on North Korea works to advance peace and enhance the lives of North Korean natives through comprehension and relationship building. Korean American Sharing Program provides help and education to North Korean residents, it developed a good impression of the US but the Korean people were not fully dependent over the US as there was trust deficit among both the states due to historical clashes.

A vast age of consent of Americans (70%) invent that North Korea poses serious threat to US, while 14% of Americans conceive it is no threat at all. Many Americans have shown fear and sometimes opposition to President Trump far and wide the crisis. A legion of Americans thinks President Trump lack the responsibility to handle the current North Korea situation. Top house within military and government educate this position escalating to military action, while some still have hope that peace is possible. Still, the U.S. continues to urge sanctions on North Korea. So, if the US wants to implement its policy of de-nuclearizing North Korea then it has to establish trusty relationships among both states by ensuring them that the US wants its Welfare and has no concern with their political framework.