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US Military Sees Change in N. Korea; Others Skeptical

by Jeff Seldin

   WASHINGTON --

   A top U.S. military official called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "a
   man of his word" while backing up assertions by other key officials
   that talks with Pyongyang are making progress.

   The commander of U.S. Forces-Korea, General Vincent Brooks, said that
   since North Korea's last missile launch in November 2017, language and
   actions from Pyongyang have "signaled a change in direction, perhaps a
   change in calculus that we had been looking for."

   Brooks spoke Saturday to an audience at the Aspen Security Forum in
   Aspen, Colorado, via videolink.

   U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have
   repeatedly expressed optimism about the ongoing talks with North Korea
   since Trump and Kim met in Singapore last month.

   On Friday, Pompeo said he and the president remained "upbeat" about the
   prospects that North Korea will move ahead with complete and verifiable
   denuclearization.

   'Boosting nuclear fuel?

   Still, some in the intelligence community have voiced skepticism that
   Pyongyang can be trusted, and there are reports that rather than scale
   back its activities, the North Koreans have actually boosted production
   of nuclear fuel.

   Satellite imagery and U.S. intelligence officials have also pointed to
   evidence of continued work at multiple secret sites across the country.

   Brooks declined to confirm or deny those reports Saturday, and
   acknowledged the threat remains.

   "We haven't seen a complete shutdown of production yet. We have not
   seen a removal of fuel rods," he said. "These types of things tell us
   there are still steps that must be taken on the road to
   denuclearization."

   But Brooks expressed hope those steps are in the works.

   "To be sure, the physical threats and capabilities are still in place,
   but it's evident in words and actions that the intent to use them has
   changed," he said.

   "[Kim Jong Un] has really demonstrated he is a man of his word in a
   number of ways," Brooks said. "We will take him at his word."

   'Some skepticism

   Still, some in the U.S. are skeptical, waiting for additional proof
   North Korea and Kim have changed.

   "I don't think we ought to be making any concessions until they [North
   Korea] really start moving forward in a very strong, concrete, positive
   way to denuclearization, which I interpret to be they dismantle their
   nuclear capability," the chairman of the House Homeland Security
   Committee, Republican Mike McCaul of Texas, said at the Aspen
   conference.

   McCaul also echoed calls by top U.S. diplomats for stronger enforcement
   on sanctions against Pyongyang.

   "This is not the time to be putting the brakes on maximum pressure," he
   said. "This is a time be putting the accelerator on."

   Sue Mi Terry, a former senior CIA analyst, also voiced reservations
   that Kim can be trusted.

   "I don't see any sign that North Koreans have committed to
   denuclearization," she said. "We don't have a deal yet between United
   States and North Korea. We only have the Singapore declaration, which
   everybody knows is vague, is aspirational."

   VOA's Margaret Besheer and Steve Herman contributed to this report.

   Jeff works out of VOA's Washington headquarters and is national
   security correspondent. You can follow Jeff on Twitter at [1]@jseldin
   or on [2]Google Plus.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/jseldin
   2. https://plus.google.com/112142189315478513438