A friend who works at the Ambassadorial level at the UN called me in response to my Korea post in the Diaries section of Kos. He informed me that there had once been a fully functioning deal in place with North and South Korea, orchestrated by Defense Secretary William Perry and Colin Powell. This was before we had invaded Libya and Iraq. It would have stopped North Korea’s nuclear program and had the full support of South Korea. The President of South Korea flew to the US to meet President Bush for lunch, but when Cheney read the plan, he insisted that Bush cancel it, telling him, “You were not elected to further the last administration’s agenda.”The Koreans have never trusted us since.
He also pointed out that the nuclear disarmament in Stanley Weiss’ letter would be a non-starter after Libya and Iraq, but said a plan that WOULD work, would be that in return for CAPPING their nuclear program and stopping further testing, they would receive a formal peace deal and non-aggression pact which would allow both sides to retire with dignity. See this interview between Jonathan Granoff and Defense Secretary William Perry below: