10 October 2007: Washington, DC -- Kim Jong Il, the isolated North Korean dictator shocked the world last week when he emerged signing agreements and complying to eliminate his nuclear stockpile once and for all. In only one week, the same Jong Il, who was included in the “Axis of evil,” who try to bully the world with the development of nuclear arms, and who has been characterized as one of the worst dictators of the modern world, showed himself smiling and agreeing what he had refused to do for years.

First, he hosted Roh Moo-Hyun, the South Korean president, who crossed the border between the two Koreas by foot. After the three day-summit last week, which started on October 2, in Pyongyang, the two leaders agreed to start talks to end the armistice that stopped the Korean War in 1953. The ceasefire was previously signed by China, the United States, and North Korea, but not by South Korea, condition that made the two countries to remain technically at war.

“The South and the North share the view that they should end the current armistice system and build up a permanent peace system,” stated the agreement signed by the two leaders while cheered with a toast.

The two countries also agreed to start cargo rail services across the border for the first time since the conflict started in 1950, in the dawn of the Cold War. The agreement also included facilitating the meetings of Korean families divided by the partition of the Korean Peninsula, and establishing a joint fishing area in the disputed western sea.

Additionally, the two Koreas will hold regular meetings and talks in order to improve the relationship and understanding between the two countries. But South Koreans, according to the media, are not very optimistic about the results of the meetings; they are skeptical since 2000 when the South Korean president also traveled to Pyongyang and came back to Seoul with a bunch of promises but no follow through from his counterpart of the North. The first one: Mr. Jong Il promised to pay back the visit by coming to the South Korean capital, but it never happened.

North Korea also agreed to move forward with the six-party talks (Japan, Russian, China, United States, and the two Koreas) to disable his nuclear reactor and to disclose all the information about its nuclear project by the end of the year.

The agreement was signed in the frame of North Korea giving up all its nuclear ambitions in exchange of more than 100 million of dollars in aid. The inspections led by the United States are expected to begin in just two weeks.

For experts and analysts the most difficult part of the agreement will come next year when North Korea has to surrender all its nuclear reserves.

“Peace settlement together with economic development,” said the South Korean president were the goals to achieve before his talks with Mr. Jong. It would be fair to add to these goals the following: development and food for the impoverished and oppressed North Korean population. 

The agreements signed last week demonstrate that diplomacy can work even in the most difficult scenarios. Mr. Jong is willing to compromise at least on paper. And the international community is expecting the North Korean president to keep his word and do what the agreements say. And China can help with keeping the promises. China openly supports and protects North Korea but can also push for steps forward no matter how painful they can be for the North Korean dictator.