The Choson Sinbo, the official newspaper of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), recently assessed that the Donald Trump administration’s second-term National Security Strategy (NSS) implicitly acknowledges the complete failure of its denuclearization policy on the Korean Peninsula by omitting any mention of North Korea.
In a brief commentary on Thursday, the Choson Sinbo emphasized in its Echo section that the most significant aspect of the NSS is the complete absence of any reference to North Korea. The paper argued that mentioning North Korea would be tantamount to admitting the total failure of U.S. denuclearization efforts on the Korean Peninsula.
Furthermore, the publication criticized the document for its lack of comprehensive international analysis, stating that it’s hardly a strategic report, given its singular focus on America First’ rhetoric. This approach is self-contradictory and distorts reality.
While the Choson Sinbo deemed the portrayal of President Trump as a messenger of peace and the emphasis on his achievements as overly generous, it acknowledged the significance of his recognition of a multipolar world order. The paper also noted Trump’s admission that the post-Cold War U.S. establishment’s justification for permanent global hegemony was misguided, and his acknowledgment of failed policies toward China.
The publication observed that the NSS avoids demonizing or severely antagonizing China and Russia. It also suggested that South Korea and Japan are being utilized as shock troops to impede China’s expansion into the Pacific.
On December 12, the Chosun Ilbo had similarly critiqued the NSS, interpreting it as a shift from America’s role as world police to a fortress America mentality.
Notably, neither North Korean authorities nor state-run media outlets such as the Korean Central News Agency or Rodong Sinmun have yet issued any response to the NSS.
The Trump administration’s NSS, released on December 5, made no mention of North Korea or denuclearization efforts. This stands in stark contrast to the Joe Biden administration’s 2022 NSS, which referenced North Korea three times, and the first Trump administration’s 2017 NSS, which mentioned North Korea 17 times.
