A U.S. expert on Korean affairs says pessimism is increasing about the prospect of diplomacy as a viable vehicle for North Korea’s denuclearization.

Scott Snyder, the director of the Asia Foundation’s Center for U.S.-Korea Policy, made the statement in an article contributed to the Council on Foreign Relations Web site Tuesday.

Snyder said that given North Korea's track record and the level of mistrust between the U.S. and the North, constructive dialogue has become exceedingly elusive.

Snyder said that the core dilemma is that there has been a general lack of support for alternatives to diplomacy and yet hope for diplomacy to be successful is quite limited.

He added that the United States will not accept a nuclear North Korea.