New Dawn or False Hope for the Korean Peninsula?

After conditions of crisis reigning on the Korean Peninsula in the first half of the year, the reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, among other recent developments, heralds renewed hope for better relations on the Korean Peninsula. However, in spite of progress on “softer” issues, the crux to negotiations continues to be denuclearization. Whilst recognizing this will be a lengthy and protracted process, steps need to be taken in this regard if the reestablishment of lines of communication between the two Koreas is to be more than just a false hope.