Nuclear talks with North Korea: The difficult Mr Kim

The tree had a problem - and that was another problem: North Korea's ruler Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae In had planted the pine trees on the borderline between the two states. That was in April 2018 at their first, historic meeting.

A highly secure buffer zone divides the two states, and only in one place can North and South Koreans get in each other's eyes: in the UN-controlled common security zone.

There, next to the famous blue houses, the two politicians shoveled a bit; they set the pine in soil and poured it with water from rivers of both countries. "Peace and prosperity are planted", since then stands on a stone in front of the tree.

Months later, the tree was ailing.

The UN command let botanists come to rescue him. "We could not let the symbol of rapprochement pass under the eyes of the UN," jokes a US soldier, who leads tourists past the blue houses. These are the blue houses where US President Donald Trump met Kim Jong Un.

Ambitious plans - but none was fulfilled

A lot of hope came from the meetings at the blue houses and again and again the feeling that peace could be possible on the upgraded Korean peninsula after all. The most concrete plans to date have resulted from an agreement reached by Moon and Kim in September 2018 in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. It's the first year in these days. At that time they agreed:

• an end to military tensions,
• joint economic projects,
• more exchange between separated families,
• Cooperation in culture and sport as well
• Progress in nuclear disarmament.

Another ambitious plan was a visit by Kim to South Korea's capital, Seoul. Like so many of the other points he could not be realized. Because much has not remained of the euphoria.

"These hard-nosed Machiavellists are not interested in cheap symbolism"

At first, many were optimistic. Watchtowers in the border area were dismantled, land mines evacuated. The soldiers in the common security zone, where the peace pines stand, have since been unarmed. The Korean states opened a joint liaison office.

At the end of 2018, both countries laid the foundation stone for a common railway connection in a symbolic ceremony. At about the time the pine started to ache. Even with the approach, things have been getting worse and worse since then:

• Meetings and video messages were planned between separated families - the relatives can not even write letters to this day.
• They planned joint excavations to lift the mortal remains of soldiers from the Korean War - no North Korean has participated.
• North Korean athletes were scheduled to take part in the World Swimming Championships this summer in Gwangju, South Korea - no athlete from the north has appeared.

Because the North Korean leadership has simply no interest. "These hard-nosed Machiavellists are not interested in cheap symbolism," says Andrei Lankov, who teaches at Kookmin University in Seoul and is director of the analysis site "NK News". "Instead, they need money and want the sanctions eased."

North Korea's Media Names South Korea's President Moon a "Cheeky Guy"

Unlike China, South Korean President Moon can not afford to violate the economic sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council. But Pyongyang is counting on him to work for the US to ease the sanctions. Therefore, the regime increases the pressure on him - either by denying or threatening common projects.

In the North Korean state media, Moon has been repeatedly insulted in recent months, with "naughty guy" being a mild abuse.

Therefore, the latest missile tests, most recently on 9 September, did not mean that North Korea would again face confrontation with the US - rather the opposite, Lankov argues.

KCNA via REUTERS

Kim Jong Un poses next to a rocket launcher after the test

Because Kim does not test missiles that could be dangerous to targets in the US, but those that could hit South Korea's capital, Seoul. In July, the North Korean leadership made known how the kills were to be understood - as a "warning to the warmongers in the south."

Indeed, there could be new talks between North Korean and US officials over Pyongyang's nuclear program in the coming weeks. The fact that Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton, who was considered a hardliner, has left the cabinet, many consider a good sign for the negotiations. Moon and Trump will be able to talk about it at a meeting in New York on Monday.

New danger at the inter-Korean border: the African swine fever

Experts call for a move away from maximum demands - that North Korea's full disclosure of all activities, arsenals and assets is unrealistic; also, that it will be nuclear disarmed and then sanctions will be eased. A first step could be a "freezing" of the program as well as the shutdown of the nuclear complex in Yongbyon.

The discussion on how to resolve the conflict also determines the conferences in South Korea around the anniversary of the Pyongyang Summit. The official ceremony had to be moved from the border to the capital. Because from North Korea threatens another danger: African swine fever has now infected animals in the south.

Thanks to the commitment of the botanists, however, the peace pine is still healthy again.