Have you ever imagined a bomb being dropped in your front yard? On May 4th, North Korea has launched a missile on the East Sea where you can call it South Korea’s front yard.

 Although more than two decades have passed since the U.S. and North Korea’s meeting of Geneva Agreed Framework in October 1994, the North Korean nuclear issue has become more difficult to be resolved than before. Despite international sanctions, North Korea has implemented three nuclear test explosions and successfully launched long-range missiles.

 North Korea was able to successfully possess nuclear and long-range missile capabilities by a strong political willingness from its leaders that continued for more than two decades. The Kim Dae Jung and Rho Mu Hyun administration, who wanted a better relationship with North Korea believed North Korea’s nuclear programs were just for negotiations. Furthermore, Presidents Lee Myung Bak and Park Geun-Hye did not have any opportunities to talk with the North due to its continuous military provocations.

 As the U.S. has left the JCPOA and is currently pressuring its allies to ban any Iranian oil imports, North Korea is no exception. North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons will increase the instability in East Asia, and it could possibly cause a nuclear domino effect.

 While there are various measures being discussed in order to denuclearize North Korea, there is no longer an easy solution to this problem. We believe the peaceful approach is the only solution that remains to be possible and fundamental. 

 We believe the key to solving the problem is to create a consensus between the north and south for the sake of establishment of a peace regime on the Korean peninsula. The change in peoples’ minds of two Koreas along with the political leader is again the key to the solution. However, it will only be left out as a key without further effort.