Recently the usual war of words between Pyongyang and Washington has escalated, with threats to destroy American warships and statements that preemptive strikes by the U.S. on North Korea are being considered.

These times of high volatility ought to refocus our attention on how to permanently resolve the North Korean issue, and the question that needs to be considered is which actions directed toward Pyongyang work and which do not?

TALKS ABOUT TALKS

Over the past decades, the U.S. and its regional allies – primarily Japan and South Korea—have engaged mostly in negotiations, military posturing and the threat of preemptive