Peace on the Korean Peninsula is not a partisan preference or an idealist’s dream — it is an absolute geopolitical necessity. For decades, tens of millions of people have lived under the persistent shadow of conflict, where a single miscalculation could trigger a catastrophic war. A stable and durable peace on the peninsula is undeniably in the best interest of everyone: the Korean people of both North and South, regional neighbors and the broader international community. Because the stakes are so high, virtually any legitimate diplomatic effort to lower tensions, open lines of communication, reduce the danger of miscalculation and foster reconciliation is fundamentally worthwhile. However, building peace with an adversary requires navigating a paradox: Trust between long-standing adversaries is essential for progress but notoriously difficult to establish. It cannot be manufactured overnight through handshakes, declarations or ceremonial summits. Genuine trust requires sustained effort, patience, verification and a cold-eyed assessment of reality. Most importantly, it requires a