The news on North Korea is moving amazingly fast, and we are right on top of it. Recently, we debated a most timely resolution: “Negotiations Can Denuclearize North Korea.” This debate was held in Washington, D.C., in partnership with the Georgetown Women’s Forum.
Did I say timely? Our debate night comes only days after the start of a historic summit meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea, and possibly only weeks before an even more historic summit (if it happens) between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.
So, yes, a lot of diplomacy in a short period of time – a lot of … negotiation. But of course there are questions, if the U.S. hopes to persuade North Korea via dialogue to give up its nuclear weapons, such as: What incentives could possibly convince Kim to give up his best defense against being pushed around? What cards does the U.S. hold? What happens when (again, if) negotiations mean that Donald Trump (whom North Korea called a “dotard”) and Kim Jong-un (whom Trump called “Little Rocket Man”) actually take a meaningful part in said negotiations?
Our debaters are extraordinarily well-qualified to be weighing in on this – four women who have not only been thinking in, but also acting in, this arena. They will bring firsthand experience in the control of nuclear weapons and in diplomatic give-and-take with the North Koreans.
And something special for this one. I’ll be conducting a keynote conversation with award-winning author and journalist Suki Kim, whose insights on North Korea are one of a kind, along with her own story of living undercover in Pyongyang for six months. It’s an amazing story in itself, and will set the stage perfectly for this debate.
Yours truly,
John
