Editorial: Mr. Tillerson is right to point out that existing sanctions can be much more strictly enforced, and new ones applied. His call to downgrade diplomatic relations with the Kim regime, cut off its export of guest workers to other nations and tighten sanctions on individuals and companies involved in the weapons programs ought to be embraced by the same coalition that successfully sanctioned Iran into compromising on its nuclear program. Applying such pressure may not work, but it is the best available option that has not yet been tried. – Washington Post
Mark Helprin writes: Avoiding an escalation crisis is in the interest of all involved, China no less than the U.S. Although America’s outrageous neglect of the North Korean nuclear threat has led to this pass, there is still a way out. It requires steady nerves and a clear view of the strategic interplay among all parties. The fundamental dynamics of interests and security are now bringing China into a genuine, if temporary, alignment with the U.S., Japan, and South Korea. The U.S. should be wide awake to this in the days to come, because it may be, in fact, the only way out. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Suki Kim writes: The timing of North Korea’s arrest of Tony Kim is no accident. The negotiations for his release, as well as the other two detainees who are currently serving hard-labor sentences, will depend on the diplomatic maneuver between Kim Jong Un and President Trump, both of whom have recently been threatening preemptive strikes. If this latest arrest is any lesson, then it reminds us of whom we are dealing when we engage with North Korea. Tony Kim will certainly not be the last American detained by Pyongyang. – Washington Post