The limits of "strategic patience": How Obama failed on North Korea

Opinion

The limits of “strategic patience”: How Obama failed on North Korea

A belief in regime collapse has prevented any meaningful engagement with North Korea

Maria Rosaria Coduti November 2, 2016

The limits of “strategic patience”: How Obama failed on North Korea

Pyongyang by Clay Gilliland on 2014-06-22 10:27:40

During Obama’s administration first term electoral campaign in 2007, his declared willingness to meet leaders of so-called “rogue states” created some expectations in North Korea that the U.S. might pursue direct talks with the Kim regime and open a “new course” in their bilateral relations. Pyongyang had made efforts toward compromise when dealing with progressive American policies, indeed, while increasing tensions in response to conservative ones.

The President's inaugural address in January 2009 let those hopes down. Obama promised that he would offer an outstretched hand to dictatorial states who will unclench their fists.

About the Author

Maria Rosaria Coduti

Maria Rosaria Coduti is a columnist for NK News. She is a Blue Book Trainee at the European Commission, EEAS department, and a Ph.D. Candidate at the School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield. She received both a BA and MA, with honors, at the School of Political Science of the University of Bologna. She has previously worked as Non-Resident Junior Research Fellow at ISDP and has written on North Korea for the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, North Korean Review Online and the Korea Economic Institute blog. During her last MA year, Ms. Coduti conducted research on North Korea’s foreign policy. Her research interests focus on domestic and foreign policy of the two Koreas and China, inter-Korean relations, nuclear and security issues in Northeast Asia, and cognitive foreign policy analysis and role theory.

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