by Xinhua writer Wang Haiqing
BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Korean Peninsula, shrouded in clouds of war not long ago, is now bustling with heartening interactions between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea, as a remarkable inter-Korean detente has gradually taken root. The United States is called upon to do more to push the troubled peninsula towards lasting peace.
Both Koreas marched as one team at the opening ceremony of 2018 Winter Olympics in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang in February. They had their first summit in 11 years in the truce village of Panmunjom and now they are making preparations for a third inter-Korea summit this year.
Pyongyang and Seoul are obviously making headway in improving ties as their high-level talks have expanded to include officials not only from the diplomatic and military agencies, but also from economic departments.
In a sign of their deepening ties, working-level officials of the two Koreas made on-site inspections of the railways in the north with an aim to modernize these railroads and eventually connect them across the border as agreed upon in the Panmunjom Declaration, issued at the end of the first inter-Korea summit.
Such a warm atmosphere has raised hope that peace on the peninsula may not be so distant.
But the hope is fragile as Washington has been dragging its feet after the historic summit in Singapore between U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.
The DPRK returned the U.S. war remains from the Korean War, and Trump also thanked Kim for dismantling the Sohae Satellite Launching Station. But so far the United States seems to have only offered warm words but no conciliatory actions in response.
The crux of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue lies in DPRK-U.S. relations. The lack of conciliatory moves on the U.S. side so far is a reason for concern as substantive progress could hardly be achieved on the Korean Peninsula unless Pyongyang and Washington are willing to compromise all the way toward a final solution.
Anyone familiar with the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue knows that it is unrealistic to ask Pyongyang to dump its nuclear program before its security concerns are properly addressed.
The focus at this stage is for the key parties to build up mutual trust, as the two Koreas are doing, rather than putting up harsh preconditions for further moves.
If Washington keeps its current practice of asking too much but doing too little, the hard-earned positive momentum may vanish before long and all previous efforts would be squandered.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who brokered the historic Trump-Kim summit, also urged Washington on Wednesday to take "corresponding comprehensive measures" to match Pyongyang's moves.
To realize long-anticipated peace on the Korean Peninsula, Washington needs to take concrete actions, along with other major parties, to seek further improvements of the situation in the region.
To start with, it is advisable for Washington to maintain dialog with Pyongyang. The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that talks with the DPRK will become a "regular course of business" for the U.S. government. Let's hope Washington does walk its talk.
Also, Washington should heed the calls of other parties to actively participate in efforts that may lead to an end-of-war declaration for the Korean Peninsula. Such an endeavor would also assuage Pyongyang's security concerns.
Meanwhile, Washington should be reminded that the "maximum pressure" approach on Pyongyang is not in keeping with the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and it needs to consider easing sanctions.
It takes two to tango. It is especially so when it comes to resolving the long-standing animosity between Pyongyang and Washington, so as to find an ultimate solution to the Korean Peninsula security conundrum.
