Dialogue can help resolve Koreas’ current crisis

The decision taken by North and South Korea to reach an agreement over recent hostilities along their border is something that the world has come to expect since the two states have been locked in a state of war since 1950. Hyperbole, rhetoric and playing for temporary wins, instead of seeking long-term solutions, seem to be the preferred options. Provocations in the future by either side cannot be ruled out in keeping with age-old tradition.

The bigger danger, however, comes from the North Koreans. They revel in creating crises in order to remind their neighbours from the South, and Washington in particular, that they are there and they are relevant. It is difficult to pinpoint the trigger that leads to incidents spiralling out of control, but the fact remains that while the region must constantly be in a state of military preparedness against Pyongyang, it must rely on dialogue, rather than propaganda, as a key component to smoothen sudden diplomatic standoffs. Negotiation is the weapon of choice in this current crisis. It has always been a carrot-and-stick policy when dealing with the Kim Jong-un government and it is going to be so in the future as well.