The agreement that was struck with Iran to presumably prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons will likely not translate into a viable template for similar negotiations with North Korea,
The Wall Street Journal said.
For one, the initial deal with Iran extends the breakout time that could enable Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon to one year from two to three months. A similar framework would not apply to Pyongyang which already has roughly a dozen nuclear weapons.
Another objective for Iran was to achieve relief from economic sanctions but in the case of North Korea, the country would likely also be looking for security guarantees including a likely drawdown of U.S. troops from South Korea.
North Korea already refers to its nuclear program as a "treasured sword" to protect the country from adversaries, the Journal said.
North Korea is also a separate case because the international community would not be able to account for all of its hidden facilities, which was one of the reasons that a 1994 deal fell apart. The country also has a history of disrupting access for international inspectors.
Meanwhile, North Korea has shown little interest in returning to the negotiating table in recent months, while the U.S. has also not made it a priority,
according to VOA News.
That hasn't stopped South Korea from emphasizing its support for international negotiations to resume. Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byung-chul told VOA that multilateral talks are a useful way to counteract North Korea's program.
He also urged North Korea to return to the negotiating table with South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan, and Russia.
North Korea exited negotiations in 2009 after it restarted its nuclear program and prevented international inspections. In 2013, the country was slapped with severe economic sanctions by China and the U.S. after it conducted its third nuclear test.
One expert, however, said that success with Iran could lead the way to reopening negotiations with North Korea. Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University, said the Iran deal can be seen as a "green light" for the U.S. and North Korea to renew talks.
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