05 April 2013 (16:40 UTC-07 Tango)/24 Jumada l-Ula 1434/16 Farvardin 1391/25 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
Several analysts have stated that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is refusing direct peace talks, especially any involving nukes.
“U.S. message saying the door is still open for talks does not work with North Korea. The North has made up its mind to keep raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula so such an unclear message is not a solution.”-Chang Yong-seok, Seoul National University
“The United States….has attempted to engage directly, and has generally been rebuffed.”-Kurt Campbell, former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, helped Obama administration create policy towards Korea
Campbell has also stated that it’s China who has the most influence. China has just canceled planned economic summit meetings with Republic of Korea and Japan.
The three countries have been meeting at the end of May, ever since 2008. But the cancellation is not over a possible Second Korean War, but the dispute with Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.
Chinese officials say that relations with Japan will be unstable as long as Japan claims the islands for themselves. The island country of Taiwan (a U.S. ally) has expressed similar sentiment.