Confronted by North Korea’s defiant missile tests and continued nuclear program, US President Joe Biden is weighing whether to step up pressure or to open a new diplomatic initiative.North Korea frequently greets new US administrations with provocations, and its apparent tests Thursday put Pyongyang back in focus just as the Biden administration was conducting a policy review and sounding out Pyongyang informally.
The United States had initially played down North Korean launches Sunday, saying they involved small anti-ship missiles that were not banned by UN Security Council resolutions. Markus Garlauskas, a North Korea expert at the Atlantic Council, cautioned not to see the tests as a “cry for attention.” “I would think that if North Korea was really trying to test the US administration they would do something bigger,” she said, adding that Pyongyang, if it is sending any message, may be aiming more at Seoul than Washington.
Biden has made clear he has no plans to meet Kim, accusing Trump of legitimizing one of the world’s most ruthless leaders.The United States has long sought to lean into China to rein in its ally, although Washington has plenty of other issues to press with Beijing amid soaring tensions. Town expected some bilateral engagement with North Korea, in coordination with allies, but said the new administration will need to “think creatively” about how to engage Kim outside of summits.