Comparative Analysis of U.S. Policy toward North Korea under the Obama and the Trump Administration

The North Korean issue, especially the North Korean nuclear issue, is a major factor affecting the situation on the Korean Peninsula and peace and stability in Northeast Asia. North Korea’s nuclear weapons are seen by many countries as a threat to Northeast Asia’s security. Since Donald Trump took the office of President of the United States, he has made significant adjustments in foreign policy towards North Korea. Refusing the policy of “strategic patience” of Barack Obama’s administration, he proposed using the “maximum pressure” strategy to develop relations with North Korea (DPRK). In particular, Donald Trump implemented a policy of direct dialogue with North Korea, which none of his predecessors had previously achieved and eased the situation on the peninsula. Despite the differences between Trump’s and Obama’s policies, they share the same starting point and follow the principle of America first. Barack Obama and Donald Trump put America’s interests first, and they are firm on the North Korean issue, so it is hard to make concessions to North Korean. The paper discusses the geopolitical position of the Korean Peninsula in accordance with Nicholas Spykman’s geopolitical theory, emphasizes the importance of the North Korean’s geopolitical position, especially in the framework of the US diplomatic strategy. This article also provides a comparative analysis of the foreign policy strategies of the administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, as well as highlights their main characteristics, principles and goals. It should be emphasized that in the foreign policy of Barack Obama and Donald Trump with respect to the DPRK there are similarities and differences. Finally, the article points out the steps and measures that should be taken in order to realize the denuclearisation of the DPRK, as well as peace and security in northeast Asia.

Keywords

geopolitics, North Korea, Barack Obama’s foreign policy strategy, Donald Trump’s foreign policy strategy, the problem of nuclear weapons

Publication date

31.10.2019

Number of characters

23694

Cite

GOST	Cao H. Comparative Analysis of U.S. Policy toward North Korea under the Obama and the Trump Administration // Asia and Africa Today – 2019. – Issue 10 C. 55-60 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750006527-1-1 (circulation date: 08.05.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750006527-1
MLA	Cao, Huilin "Comparative Analysis of U.S. Policy toward North Korea under the Obama and the Trump Administration." Asia and Africa Today 10 (2019):55-60. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750006527-1
APA	Cao H. (2019). Comparative Analysis of U.S. Policy toward North Korea under the Obama and the Trump Administration. Asia and Africa Today (10), pp.55-60 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750006527-1

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