David Maxwell on “The Next U.S. President Needs a New North Korea Policy”

I am pleased to tell you that today’s post marks the return of David Maxwell to Lawfire^®.  Dave is one of the nation’s top authorities on North Korea, and he has fresh ideas for the next president (regardless of who that might be) about what is one of the most serious threats facing not just the U.S., but also our friends and allies around the globe.

The Next U.S. President Needs a New North Korea Policy 

By David Maxwell 

In my recent essay I argue that the next U.S. president should implement a new North Korea policy focusing on human rights, public diplomacy and information, and the pursuit of a free and unified Korea.

The failure of past policies to denuclearize North Korea necessitates this shift. By aligning with South Korea’s 8.15 Unification Doctrine, the U.S. can support an approach that addresses national security interests, supports the Korean people, and advances human rights globally.

Key Points: 

1. Policy Shift: The next U.S. president should adopt a policy that centers on human rights, information, and the unification of Korea, moving away from the ineffective strategies of the past.  At the same time, the ROK/U.S. Alliance must sustain a foundation of deterrence and defense until unification is achieved.

2. Past Policy Failures: Over the past 40 years, U.S. policy has failed to denuclearize North Korea, with the Kim regime continuing to develop its nuclear and missile programs.

3. Human Rights Overlooked: Previous U.S. policies have neglected the human rights situation in North Korea.  Kim Jong Un must deny the human rights of the Korean people in the north to remain in power and support his nuclear weapons and missile programs.

4. Human Rights-Centered Approach: A focus on human rights is essential for any strategy aimed at transforming North Korea, helping citizens understand and demand their rights, especially including the universal right to self-determination of government.

5. Public Diplomacy: The U.S. should lead a public diplomacy campaign to inform Koreans in the north about human rights abuses and encourage internal resistance.

6. Unification as a Solution: The path to denuclearization is intertwined with Korean unification, which would lead to a peaceful, democratic state and reduce regional threats.

7.  8.15 Unification Doctrine: South Korea’s 8.15 Unification Doctrine, which emphasizes freedom, democracy, and human rights, provides a roadmap for unification that the U.S. should support.

8. Strategic Benefits: Supporting a unified Korea aligns with U.S. national security interests by pressuring the Kim regime and fostering a favorable environment for denuclearization.

9. Moral Responsibility: The U.S. has a moral imperative to stand with the North Korean people against one of the most oppressive regimes in modern history.

10. Opportunity for Change: The next U.S. president has a historic chance to reshape policy towards North Korea, offering a path to peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

Strategy for U.S. Support to the Republic of Korea’s 8.15 Unification Doctrine

Overview: The next president should issue a strategic directive modeled after President Reagan’s National Security Decision Directive 32, National Security Strategy (NSDD-32), emphasizing a human-rights-centered approach, the role of information and public diplomacy, supporting internal change by the Korean people in the north, and the overall objective of supporting the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) 8.15 Unification Doctrine.

The U.S. will assist in shaping the environment for a unified Korean Peninsula through trilateral cooperation, leveraging U.S.-ROK-Japan relations, and fostering conditions that advance the doctrine’s goals.

The strategic directive should direct the National Security Council to develop a political-military implementation plan modeled on President Clinton’s Presidential Decision Directive 56 (Management of Complex Contingency Operations) to support the Republic of Korea in the pursuit of a free and unified Korea. 

Conclusion 

The next U.S. president has a unique opportunity to change the course of U.S. policy towards North Korea.

By prioritizing human rights and supporting a free and unified Korea, the U.S. can promote lasting peace and stability in the region. This approach aligns with the values of democracy and human rights, offering a way forward beyond the Kim family regime and towards a unified, democratic Korea.

About the Author

David Maxwell is a retired US Army Special Forces Colonel and has spent more than 30 years in the Asia Pacific region (primarily Korea, Japan, and the Philippines) as a practitioner and specializes in Northeast Asian Security Affairs and irregular, unconventional, and political warfare.  He is the Vice President of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and a Senior Fellow at the Global Peace Foundation (where he focuses on a free and unified Korea).  Following military retirement, he was the Associate Director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is a member of the board of directors of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and the OSS Society and is a contributing editor to Small Wars Journal.

The views expressed by guest authors do not necessarily reflect my views or those of the Center on Law, Ethics and National Security, or Duke University (see also here).

Remember what we like to say on Lawfire^®: gather the facts, examine the law, evaluate the arguments – and then decide for yourself!