 Welcome to Working Together on Think Tech Hawaiʻi, where we discuss the impact of change on workers, employers, and the economy. I'm your host, Cheryl Crozier-Garcia, inviting you to join in the conversation. Please call us with your questions or comments at area code 808-374-2014 or tweet us at thinktechhi. Relationships between nations have significant impacts on the world economy. This has been seen recently as the White House continues to discuss the on-again, off-again summit with North Korea, which may or may not happen in Singapore on June 12, just one week from today. Does this keep them guessing approach to diplomacy help or hurt our relationship with North Korea? What does the rest of the world think of the U.S.'s ability to keep its promises when the executive branch can't seem to make up its mind? Dr. Daewoo Park is joining us today to discuss the current state of the U.S.-North Korea relationship and the impact of that relationship on the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world. Welcome, Daewoo. Thank you. And thank you for joining us today. We've been hearing a lot in news media about President Trump wanting to go to North Korea and the Kim Jong-un administration has seemed willing to make that meeting happen. But there's been so much kind of on and off and mind-changing and negotiating back and forth that we really don't know where we stand in terms of that meeting and perhaps the ongoing relationship with North Korea. How do you think Pyongyang responds to this kind of on-again-off-again negotiation and trash talking? According to many reports, I have read and I have heard from, since last year, North Korea, they believe they've finished the development of nuclear arms and missiles by the end of 2017. So last year, they already announced 2018 will be the year of diplomacy. And so they want to be recognized by U.S. and other countries, their nuclear power, just like India and Pakistan. So they already announced we want to follow India and Pakistan in the 70s and 80s. So do not talk about the nuclear arms, the weapons. Let's just try to have diplomatic discussions and a possibility of reducing the number of nuclear weapons, not completely eliminating the nuclear weapons. And so 2018, at the beginning of 2018, the Winter Olympic Games, great moment for North Korea to start the diplomatic discussion with U.S. and South Korea and Japan and also China. And so they're not interested in complete denuclearization. They'd like to hold on to what they have and maybe just not build anymore, which is essentially what India and Pakistan did in the 70s and 80s. But the U.S. has continued to have some challenging relationships, say, with Pakistan when it comes to things like allegedly providing sanctuary to terrorist groups and things like that. Does Pyongyang have those same kinds of challenges? Could they be in a position to, although they're not building more nuclear weapons, continue to have, say, relations with the United States that would be problematic if they chose to support, say, different factions in the area? Because North Korea already has great, great examples that they follow, Israel, India, Pakistan. And everybody understands they have nuclear weapons, however, just like Israel and Pakistan. No one's talking about the elimination of nuclear weapons from those countries. The same thing, North Korea leader Kim Jong-un is smart. He understands the geopolitics, and so using the relationship with Russia and China, he believes he can achieve his goal by diplomatic relationships with the U.S. Do you think that ongoing conversations, say, between Washington, D.C. and Pyongyang, could eventually yield a solution that everyone can live with? I think so, but it will take time, and it's not one year, two years. It should be a multi-year journey, but I think the President Trump, he showed his strength. And so by announcing, he will cancel the meeting two weeks ago, and he made a North Korean leader very upset, and then begging to reopen the communication with the U.S. and also via South Korea. So he immediately called the South Korean president, let's have a meeting tomorrow. Just one day in advance notice, and they met, and then South Korean leader and North Korean diplomats, they contacted the U.S. State Department and also White House and then President Trump accept the request, and then after negotiations and discussions, now the summit is going to be held in Singapore one week from today. I wish, as I was telling you before we went live on the air, I really wish that we could have had the summit somewhere in the United States. Honolulu would have been perfect, but virtually anywhere in the U.S. would be good, I think, because North Korea would bring their press, you know, their reporters and television crews, etc., and then the people would get to see the kinds of things that we have as citizens of a representative democracy, and then they may want those kinds of things and say, gee, maybe democracy is better than the structure of government that we have right now. I know many of the local Korean-Americans and also other citizens. We believe the meeting in Singapore, the first meeting, but there will be additional meetings probably in the U.S. and in North Korea. So probably the next meeting will be in Honolulu, Hawaii, or West Coast, and then the next meeting probably somewhere in maybe Pyongyang in North Korea. So visit by U.S. president, current president, not the former president, and then maybe next meeting in Washington, D.C. So it's kind of slowly opening the relationships, and also I believe next week summit probably announcement of restoration of diplomatic relationships. So U.S. embassy in Pyongyang and North Korean embassy in Washington, D.C., very in the near future. Oh, good. So such a thing is possible sooner rather than later? I think sooner. And also yesterday I read the newspaper article. It's a very interesting article. The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un asked President Trump to help the opening casinos in North Korea, and hotels and casinos in North Korea, West Coast. And it's kind of very interesting. And also many reports last two weeks probably franchise the fast food restaurants in Pyongyang, just like McDonald's, Burger King, or who knows, the Taco Bells in Pyongyang. And it's kind of, I hope, step by step, moving toward normal relations and peace, peace and good future. That really puts a new meaning to the phrase, make a run for the border. Taco Bell in North Korea, I just, I can't imagine it. Yeah, but President Trump two years ago during the presidential campaign, I want to have hamburgers with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss about the peace and bright future of our countries. So I think it's happening now next week in Singapore and near future Pyongyang and Washington, D.C. Yeah, I think if they actually could have good hamburgers in Singapore, there's an excellent American burger restaurant in the lobby of the Raffles Hotel. I've eaten there. And the burgers are as good as anything you'd get anywhere in the U.S. So Mr. President, if you're watching the lobby of the Raffles Hotel, have a hamburger. So, but what about, there have also been some challenges, say diplomatically. Our president seems to be one who gives people labels. So during the campaign, we heard Crooked Hillary and Little Marco and Lion Ted, and he's gone so far even to call the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, Little Rocket Man. And that's got to be insulting. How long does, do you think that the Pyongyang government and President Kim would consider that something that is offensive and would that affect the way they would approach diplomacy with the U.S.? I don't think so, because North Korean leaders, Kim Jong-un and also his people, carefully assessed President Trump and his negotiation styles and communication styles and also all the past and present challenges. And so they understand they can handle meeting with President Trump. And they also believe they can achieve their goal. And so more aid, the support from U.S., Japan, and other countries, including China. And also, it's just kind of a very smart policy, diplomacy, because using the the relationships between U.S. and China, Russia, Japan. North Korea believe divide and conquer or divide and use. They believe they can get all what they want from Russia, China, and U.S. and Japan. How willing do you think the other neighbors in the region, South Korea, China, Japan, and even Russia to some sense, would be amenable to supporting, say, North Korea's agenda and advocating for it with the United States? At this time, after the organization changed in South Korea last year, a sudden change, and the current administration of South Korea really wants to have good relationship with North Korea. The previous administration of Geun-hae Park, the former president's daughter, after the scandal, the political scandal, and she had to step down. But when she was a president, she didn't have good relationship with North Korea, strong position against North Korea. But the current president, Moon Jae-in, he's very peace-oriented, or he believes that his top priority is good relationship with North Korea. So that's why he met with North Korean leader at Ban Moon Jump, the DMZ, about one month ago. And so I think South Korea will sacrifice. That means ready to provide all the support North Korea need. And also, even President Trump said several days ago, U.S. is not going to spend taxpayers' money. All aid or support, economic support, or aid will come from South Korea, Japan, and China. Because they are in the same area, they are close neighbors, so they have to support each other. And the U.S. companies will be glad to rejoin reconstructing their economy, the bad economy in North Korea. But President Trump promised U.S. government is not going to spend the taxpayers' money. Well, we'll have to see about that. I just heard from the booth we need to take a station break. So we will be back in 60 seconds. So everyone stay with us. This is Working Together on Think Tech Hawaii. I'm Cheryl Crozier-Garcia, and we will be back in one minute. The host for Young Talent's Making Way here on Think Tech Hawaii, we talk every Tuesday at 11 a.m. about things that matter to tech, matter to science, to the people of Hawaii, with some extraordinary guests, the students of our schools who are participating in science fair. So Young Talent's Making Way every Tuesday at 11 a.m. only on Think Tech Hawaii. Mahalo. Welcome back to Working Together on Think Tech Hawaii. I'm Cheryl Crozier-Garcia, and today we are talking to Dr. Day-Woo Park about the situation between the U.S. and North Korea and about what might need to happen in order to bring about a more neighborly, more peaceful relationship. So thanks again for staying with us. Before we went to the break, Day-Woo, you were talking about how President Trump said U.S. tax monies would not be used to economically support North Korea. And it was President Trump's expectation that their neighbors would provide the financial resources. So that would be Japan, China, South Korea, maybe some minor support from other smaller countries, Russia, et cetera, in the region. Do they have that kind of money? I mean, because North Korea is not known to have the most modern infrastructure. There are or have been problems with, I mean, people simply getting enough to eat. So there are many social issues that it will take money to solve. And have they got that much money in the region? And according to the newspaper reports, news reports, Chinese Prime Minister, Chinese leaders promised they can provide up to $100 billion to North Korea if they stop producing nuclear weapons and they really change their direction. And also, Japan, in the past, about six, seven years ago, they planned to provide up to $10 billion as a compensation for their Second World War, the colonization, and also the damages and all others. And so I think China and Japan, they have money to help North Korea and also South Korea, some question mark about the future, but the government has strong commitment to help North Korea. And they believe that's the direction for reunification in the future. Well, we do know historically that the reunification of East and West Germany back in the 90s was a difficult situation that worked out well in the end. And today, Germany has one of the most robust economies in the EU. So if history repeats itself, that we may see another robust economy and a reunified Korea really becoming a major player in that part of the world. That's what President Trump emphasized multiple times to North Korean leaders. If you decide to dismantle the nuclear weapons and join us in moving toward the peaceful world, then your future will be bright. That means your country will be like Manhattan in New York last week. The Secretary of State, Pompeo, he showed the skyline of Manhattan to North Korean delegates. And so this is kind of your future if you decide to go to go to the new directions. And I think at this time in Asia, China, Vietnam, economic growth and good economy, but North Korea, they have good human resource and also they have natural resource. And I think a great opportunity. Well, I think it's good if that's what they want. I mean, if they want Pyongyang to look like Manhattan, then it's all good. But if they have a different vision for their future, if bright future looks like something else to them, I can't see them biting on the hook of you can have all of this. According to the news reports, two weeks ago and last week, North Korea sent about 600 government officers to China to benchmark, to learn the Chinese economic growth and miracle that they sent was sent to Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu and all the locations. And I think North Korea will have to see what will happen next week, the summit between North Korea and US. But if they really decide to go along with the US for peaceful world, the future will be great, great for both countries. Right. Well, a growing economy is a good thing for the people that live in it, but it does provide challenges to the people that live outside it. So if, for example, North Korea were to move to kind of a manufacturing economy like what China has, wouldn't there be then additional challenges for China? Right, because North Korea could come in with lower labor costs and take business. And so we see this kind of circle of manufacturing jobs. We saw it with Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore in the 80s. And then again in the 90s with other locations throughout Asia where factories are just coming up. So North Korea may be the next milestone in the journey of manufacturing jobs around the world. Do they have sufficient enough human capital to be able to compete? The human capital, the side, I think they have good human capital. But the infrastructure side, they're not. So that's why North Korea really asks, wants South Korea and China help to rebuild their infrastructures like rail systems and electricity and also highways. And also those money will come from South Korea. Japan and China. And then US companies, high-tech companies, and they can participate in information highways or internet systems and all positively. And I'm talking about the hacking or hackers by North Korea because they are so sophisticated and very heading for western countries. But if they decide to go different directions, it's great for the future. High technology and also all the US businesses and the future. Well, maybe we could use all of those North Korean hackers in Silicon Valley to develop anti-hacking technologies. So it's changed from hacking to artificial intelligence? Sure. Or hacking to some smart technology used. Our future will be much better. Yeah, that's true. And I imagine they could do a lot of good with increasing medical technologies of different kinds, screening devices and other kinds of things. That would help to diagnose diseases early and things like that. And those are the kinds of skills. The skills the hacker has can be used in many different directions. So it might be a good thing if we can convince them to turn their skills to creating new technologies instead of hacking my social security number. So next week we will see President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un eat hamburger together and conversation. It will be very, very interesting what will happen. Speaking of which, what role would President Kim is married? What role would his wife play in any kind of diplomatic mission like this? Because Mrs. Trump usually comes along. I heard the wives of President Trump and Kim Jong-un not join them in Singapore. So they are going to stay in Washington DC and Pyongyang. But maybe the second meeting or third meeting in the future, we will see the first ladies of US and North Korea will join. That actually might be a good thing because I can really see Mrs. Trump being an asset when it comes to tact and diplomacy. She's multi-lingual. She's traveled all around the world. But breaking the history, breaking the past, the North Korean leader when he traveled to China and also when he met with South Korean leader two weeks ago, he introduced his wife to Chinese leaders and South Korean leader. So the first time the president and the first lady North Korea and South Korea and North Korea and China, they met, they had state dinners together and it's kind of a big change. Good. Change is necessary if we're going to have success with this thing. What about, can you tell us whatever it is that you know about President Kim's sort of history? He is one of the few world leaders, I think, that wasn't educated in the United States, I think. He didn't go to US university. He spent seven years of, I think, seven years in Switzerland. Oh, in Switzerland. He can speak German. He can speak English. And his favorite, the basketball player, he brought to China. Dennis Rodman. And he likes the Western singers' music songs. And so he understand both Asian and Western culture and also he understand how to negotiate, how to bargain, how to communicate with Western leaders, including President Trump. That's good. I hope President Trump has similar knowledge because otherwise it's going to be an uneven appreciation. Well, we've got just one minute left. So Dr. Daewoo Park, thank you for taking the time to be with us today and to help us understand the situation that's happening all around us that ultimately will affect the way we live life on a day-to-day basis. I like the idea of having more friends rather than more enemies. The world isn't nearly as big as we presume it to be. It's possible to have breakfast in Honolulu and then dinner in Seoul. Our shrinking globe makes it critical that we learn to work and play well with others, especially those with whom we disagree about governance models and national politics. Not every nation believes that representative democracy is the right model of government for their people. But that doesn't mean we can't look for areas of agreement that will help both nations build cooperative relationships that support the growth of both countries. Trash talking and schoolyard bullying do nothing to enhance relationships between countries. The U.S. has among its friends and allies nations with many different kinds of government structures. There isn't any reason why North Korea can't be one of those friends. Ultimately, such a relationship would help to ensure peace in the region and in the world. That's all the time we have today. On behalf of all of the citizen journalists here at ThinkTek Hawaii, I'm Cheryl Crozier-Garcia, saying we'll be back with another episode of Working Together in two weeks. Till then, take care and happy birthday to my sister Michelle and my husband Jaime. I love you both. See you soon.