As President Trump begins his second term, the question of North Korea's denuclearization has resurfaced with renewed anxiety. The White House has reiterated Trump's commitment to pursuing the complete denuclearization of North Korea, a goal that has eluded previous administrations. Yet Trump’s recent acknowledgment of North Korea as a “nuclear power” suggests a possible shift from the traditional U.S. stance on denuclearization.

Trump has also expressed his intention to engage with Kim Jong Un once again. However, for obvious reasons, his recent reference to North Korea as a nuclear power has sparked concerns about a potential shift in U.S. policy. While Trump's remarks suggest an acknowledgment of North Korea's nuclear capabilities, the fact is that recognizing it as a nuclear state is fraught with procedural challenges — such recognition is virtually impossible at the moment due to the complex international dynamics at play.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seeking to capitalize on Trump's second presidency. Kim has previously leveraged geopolitical tensions, such as Russia's struggles in Ukraine, to his advantage.

With Trump calling Kim his "friend," North Korea may once........

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