The former U.S. deputy nuclear negotiator has warned a failure to resolve North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs through negotiations will have enormous consequences on the region.
 
Joseph DeTrani, who served as the U.S. special envoy for the Six-Party Talks, said in a column posted in the Washington Times on Monday that the concerned parties should be aware that if the negotiations over the North’s weapons of mass destruction development fail, it will lead to the augmentation of missile defense ability by South Korea and the enhancement of joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington.
 
DeTrani said the North’s current nuclear and missile capability is an existential threat to South Korea and Japan, and will pose an existential threat to the U.S. if the regime secures a flight tested intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM).
 
He said that the North should know if negotiation proves impossible, the U.S. will intensify its joint military exercises with South Korea “in partnership with South Korea and Japan, and in consultation with China and Russia.” 
 
He also said the U.S. will “deploy additional missile defense capabilities to the region and intensify intelligence sharing and other cooperative measures between the U.S., South Korea and Japan.”
 
In a lecture in November, DeTrani called on the parties involved in the Six-Party Talks to launch unconditional exploratory dialogue with the North to build mutual trust needed for the solution to the North Korean issue. 

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