(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Aug. 26)

Foreign ministers of South Korea and the United States spoke by phone on Monday, reaffirming the importance of close communication and coordination between the two nations. However, the call highlighted a troubling absence of mention of North Korean denuclearization. Neither country's readout included the phrase "denuclearization of North Korea" or "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

This marks a significant shift from previous meetings, where Washington referred to complete denuclearization of the North, and Seoul downplayed the term altogether. The South Korean administration now supports a phased approach to denuclearization, focusing on freezing, reducing, and ultimately dismantling North Korea's nuclear program.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has become less explicit about denuclearization goals during North Korea talks. The absence of denuclearization from the diplomatic conversation suggests that both South Korea and the U.S. might be accommodating North Korea's insistence on denuclearization as a nonnegotiable condition. This could inadvertently normalize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state if talks focus more on arms control than full denuclearization.

Resuming dialogue with North Korea is essential, but appearing to abandon the initial goal of North Korean denuclearization before negotiations begin could significantly reduce the negotiating advantage and set an uneven playing field for discussions. The safety of countries like South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, who continue to face nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, remains a paramount concern.