But while the US, North Korea and Vietnam have been dominating headlines, where has South Korea – the other principal stakeholder – been? Indeed, even if Trump agrees eventually to lift the sanctions on North Korea, it would likely be South Korea that would have to provide most of the financial support to North Korea. South Korea could also expect a rising employment rate, due to more business opportunities with North Korea and beyond, and market expansion through the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund (IKCF). Anticipating a lifting of sanctions, South Korea increased its IKCF budget to US$890.7m in 2019, a 15% increase on 2018. But these benefits rely on one key caveat: they will only happen if either North Korea or the US gives way to the other.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 28, 2019 18:00 UTC