The national interest in North Korea

Billions in the ground

The article linked to above is extremely interesting, and taken from a magazine published by one particular faction of the US foreign policy establishment, "The National Interest".

I always wondered why on earth Donald Trump has a virtual bromance with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the (supposedly) trigger-happy Red menace from the deepest unicorn caves around Pyongyang. Something tells me you wondered about this, too.

Well, it seems we don´t have to wonder anymore...

China controls 95% of the world´s rare earth mineral production. Rare earths are necessary for military technology and other forms of high tech, but ironically also for the "renewable energy" sector. All good and well if you have splendid relations with Beijing.

Trump doesn´t. This explains why he is interested in cultivating the North Korean regime. North Korea may have the world´s largest deposits of rare earth minerals outside China, most of it untapped. China, South Korea and Russia are all *very* interested in doing the tapping. The United States has simply jumped on the bandwagon. And while North Korea and China are allies, there could be some friction between them worth exploiting (although that´s probably material for another full article). 

Interestingly, since "The National Interest" seems to be Neo-Conservative in general orientation, the article linked to above proposes lifting sanctions against the DPRK and de facto recognize that Pyongyang is now a nuclear power. While this would make non-proliferation look like the sham it actually is, it would also make it possible for the US to throw its economic weight around and invest in large-scale mining operations in North Korea. 

Unless the Democrats (who are presumably pro-Chinese) undercut the Trump administration´s strategy, I think the above will happen.

Hopefully, there will also be a democratic revolution in North Korea and eventual reunification with the South...