Washington focuses on ‘thorough verification’ by seeking FFVD over CVID

Washington focuses on ‘thorough verification’ by seeking FFVD over CVID. July. 04, 2018 08:31. lightee@donga.com.
New term “FFVD” has emerged just ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s third visit to Pyongyang. This refers to “final, fully verified denuclearization,” which the State Department used when publicizing Secretary Pompeo’s schedule and agenda for his Pyongyang visit on Monday.

The Donald Trump administration had been using “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization (CVID)” and Secretary Pompeo once used “permanent, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement (PVID)” while emphasizing “permanent denuclearization.” Since then, the department has used “CPD” or “CD” depending on where it places focus.

On the department’s frequent change of terms, critics have said, “Is it playing word games even if there is no progress in the North’s denuclearization at all?” However, experts say that although the expressions are different, they are all focused on the word “verify.” It is said that the department has once again emphasized the need for thorough verification amid a situation where the North is suspected of hiding nuclear weapons, nuclear facilities and related equipment even after the North Korea-U.S. summit in Singapore.

“What we should not be missing out in diplomatic rhetoric is Washington’s message that it will thoroughly verify the North’s nuclear weapons,” said Shin Beom-cheol, head of the National Security and Unification Center at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.