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| 그림1Seen above are satellite images of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Tongchang, North Pyongan Province, North Korea. On the left is an image from Dec. 17, and the right is from Dec. 18. / Courtesy of 38 North |
North Korea is likely to maintain the status quo combining its hardline stance with an open negotiation channel next year, according to a number of experts in South Korea and abroad.
They also claim it is a very tall task to lead North Korea to complete and irreversible denuclearization without guaranteeing its regime survival.
According to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), Monday, the first RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk aircraft arrived at an air force base in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, on the day.
The government purchased four Global Hawk remotely piloted surveillance planes from the United States. The remaining three are expected to be delivered next year.
The ROKAF has not revealed details for its deployment plan, but these unmanned aerial vehicles are expected to strengthen South Korea's surveillance capability amid the heightened threat of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
Pyongyang said earlier this month that it will send a "Christmas gift" to the United States, but what the gift contains will depend entirely on Washington.
U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Charles Brown predicted during a media conference last week that North Korea's Christmas gift will be a long-range ballistic missile test.
Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, a member of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party and chairperson of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, claimed the Moon Jae-in administration should not appease Pyongyang's demands anymore.
"I believe the government did everything it could possibly do to comply with North Korea's demands, but it just didn't work," she said.
"North Korea is a de facto nuclear power. It will never give up its nuclear status. We also believe its long-range ballistic missile technology is good enough to hit the mainland United States. Decisive action is needed now."
South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon said, however, Pyongyang won't completely leave the negotiation table despite the current standoff between stakeholders for North Korea's denuclearization process.
"North Korea needs dialogue as much as Washington wants," Lee told reporters.
"If North Korea returns to nuke, the international community, including the United States, would have not many options but to strengthen economic sanctions against the North. This isn't what North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wants. There could possibly be mounting doubts about Kim's leadership since he had been out there to talk to his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. There would be advance and setback, but I believe they will eventually return to the table next year."
