DPRK's decision must not be lightly dismissed

The surprise announcement that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is suspending its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles tests is an auspicious prelude to leader Kim Jong-un's upcoming summit with Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in, and his planned talks with United States President Donald Trump.

Now there seems to be no reason why the two meetings should not go ahead and Pyongyang rewarded for its show of goodwill. This may seem a step too far. But Kim was not acting on a whim. The decision came with a change in the country's national strategy. The focus is now on the economy.

A DPRK that is preoccupied with providing better lives for its people and proactively engaged in communication with neighboring countries and the broader international community will be a blessing to the region and the world at large. Both China and Russia have welcomed the announcement and urged the ROK and the US to act accordingly to promote a peaceful settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.