Rethinking Economic Sanctions on North Korea: Why Crippling Economic Sanctions Will Not Make North Korea Denuclearize

What was the role of economic sanctions in the U.S.-DPRK negotiations under the Trump administration? Trump believed that the "crippling sanctions" dragged Pyongyang to the negotiations and perceived Pyongyang's demand for sanction lifting at the 2019 Hanoi Summit as proof that the sanction lifting become Pyongyang's priority. Trump was therefore unwilling to give such effective leverage away and believed Pyongyang would eventually surrender if he continued those sanctions long enough. However, Pyongyang came to the negotiations following successful nuclear and missile tests and Seoul's mediation diplomacy. North Korea asked for sanction lifting to achieve some small deal. Sino-North Korea relations have improved since 2018 and it will also be harder for the U.S. to keep a tight sanction regime. Considering its ideology and its fear for survival, Pyongyang will not easily denuclearize without U.S. actions. Incremental, simultaneous and reciprocal action is the solution to achieve denuclearization and peace with Pyongyang.