Since Kim Jong Un's announcement in 2018 that he would stop testing North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and embark upon diplomacy, Western media have kept up a drumbeat about denuclearization: When is it coming? What should Kim offer up first, second and third to show his sincerity? Even most Pyongyang-watchers have contributed to this narrative, adding nuance about the North Korean calculus and past deals made and broken.
When North Korea did not follow the storyline that Washington and its allies expected, the media narrative shifted: North Korea is playing the international community and can't be trusted. Many Pyongyang-watchers have noted that of course North Korea never intends to give up its nuclear program.
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