Additional Commentaries on the Korea Summit, the Six Party Talks and US-North Korea Relations

North Korea: the path to a deal by Charles K Armstrong
"The six-party and cross-border agreements promise to ease tension and facilitate progress in the Korean peninsula. They also represent a success for Kim Jong-il’s regime, says Charles K Armstrong."

Kim Jong Il confronts Bush — and wins. A New Page in North-South Korean Relations by Bruce Cumings
"The leaders of South and North Korea have met. The meeting had been formally delayed since the summer because of serious flooding in the North – but in fact both sides had to wait six years for this opportunity."
Summit: Post-Playground Politics by John Feffer
"After the Cold War ended in Europe, South Korea reached out to China and the two now have a thriving though not conflict-free trade relationship. Similarly, North Korea reached out to the United States in an attempt to secure diplomatic recognition. The inter-Korean summits mark a change in strategy by both Koreas. They’ve tried relying on their patrons. They’ve tried reaching out to each other’s patrons. And now they have decided to treat the peninsula as a family business. In going beyond playground politics, both Koreas have entered a new, more mature era of cooperation. "