North Korea: Bill Clinton's Trip to Pyongyang

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton traveled to North Korea and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on Aug. 4. Clinton's reception in Pyongyang, including dinner with Kim, clearly shows that back-channel discussions between Washington and Pyongyang have remained active, despite the public standoff. The visit is not likely to bring about a surprise nuclear deal as did former President Jimmy Carter's private visit to Pyongyang to meet Kim Il Sung in 1994. However, for Pyongyang, it marks a potential step toward reopening dialogue with the United States. For Washington, the visit is a low-cost option that ended up leading to the release of two U.S. journalists — and if there are other signals from North Korea, all the better.