The problem is, for all the problems the country has internally, a “deal” with the west is going to turn out the same way it turned out for other countries: Forced “market reforms” that really just mean allowing western capitalists to exploit the country’s resources and labor. There is no good path for a country that involves western intervention. We’ll just make it worse, or at least as bad, but for out benefit.
Besides, why would they ever trust us? We bombed them to smithereens within living memory and since then have gone out of our way to punish the people living there for whatever reason you choose to believe was our motive. If we cared about the people there we wouldn’t have invaded or embargoed them in the first place. And since then it’s not like we’ve stopped acting like that to the rest of the world. If the US cared about freedom and democracy or people’s living standards, we wouldn’t be allies with places like Saudi Arabia or Israel. We wouldn’t have installed right wing dictators in all the countries we tried to stop from having self-determination.
The best thing that could be done if we actually cared about people’s living standards would be to back the fuck off and let people sort out their own politics without a global superpower breathing down their necks. They already fought one revolution, if they really want to change their government I’m sure they could do it without our “help.” Maybe if they didn’t have an existential enemy they could deal with their own problems more easily.
Apepollo11@lemmy.world 1 day ago
The official line is that North Korea is thriving - it’d be political suicide for Kim Jong Un to accept help.
The comparison with the US isn’t unwarranted. The respective propaganda machines is the reason both countries are the way they are.
When people are told daily how their country is the best in the world, the ruling class can get away with an awful lot.
It’s 2025, and many places in the US don’t even have clean tap water. People are being “disappeared” off the streets by government agencies. People are dying from easily-treatable diseases. The wealthy ruling class live lives of luxury, while poor people work multiple jobs and still exist below the poverty line.
So, that said, do you think Trump would accept a deal that would allow better living conditions for his people. I think we both know the answer.