Ignoring North Korea is not an option for the West

Containing nuclear risk will require broader range of policy tools

James Stavridis

December 13, 2022 05:00 JST

Kim Jong Un attends a ceremony, in this undated photo released on Oct. 11 by KCNA: Managing North Korea's dictator could be a cooperative effort and shared interest for Washington and Beijing. © Reuters

Retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis is vice chairman for global affairs and a managing director at private equity firm The Carlyle Group. He previously served as supreme allied commander of NATO and dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He is the author of "2034: A Novel of the Next World War."

Gone are the days of "love letters" between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump, the former U.S. president who allegedly has kept several of the missives to show guests at his south Florida home.