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US President Donald Trump during an interview with Reuters at the White House on Aug. 20.
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US President says North Korea has taken steps to denuclearize in Reuters interview
US President Donald Trump said on Aug. 20 that he believes North Korea has taken steps to denuclearize, and that there is a high likelihood of a second North Korea-US summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In an interview with Reuters that day at the White House, when asked whether a second summit with Kim was on the horizon, Trump responded, “I just don’t want to comment,” while also saying “it’s most likely we will.” However, President Trump did not offer any specifics about the timeframe or location of a second North Korea-US summit. President Trump’s direct comments about a second summit come as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is scheduled to make a fourth visit to Pyongyang at the end of this month, drawing attention to the context behind the comments. Relating to this, it is conceivable that the US and North Korea have already been establishing points of compromise on denuclearization and compensatory measures in backdoor negotiations. The chief point of interest is whether the US and North Korea will be able to strike a “big deal” that would exchange an end-of-war declaration with a disclosure of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and facilities. Diplomacy experts say that if Secretary of State Pompeo returns empty-handed from his upcoming trip to North Korea — like he did after his third visit — the US will find itself under a considerable political burden, making it likely that a compromise will be reached in any way possible. It appears that the outlines of the second North Korea-US summit mentioned by President Trump will also be drawn during Pompeo’s time in Pyongyang. President Trump’s comments that he considers North Korea as having taken steps to denuclearize are especially noteworthy. When asked whether “North Korea had taken specific steps to denuclearize other than blowing up its main nuclear bomb test,” he said, “I do believe they have,” although he did not give specific examples. The exchange shows an optimistic attitude that contrasts with those held by the mainstream media or hardliners in the current US administration. Regarding his relationship with Kim Jong-un, President Trump emphasized their “great chemistry.” “I like him. He likes me,” he said. “There’s no ballistic missiles going up, there’s a lot of silence [. . .] I have very good personal relations with Chairman Kim, and I think that’s what holds it together.” In recent letters exchanged between Trump and Kim, the two leaders demonstrated a mutual trust and communicated their intent to meet “soon.” Amid such an atmosphere, if the North Korea-US negotiations during Pompeo’s late August trip to Pyongyang go smoothly, they will likely be followed by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first visit to North Korea, a third inter-Korean summit, and a second North Korea-US summit, which would represent a significant development in the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace regime. Prevailing opinion about this scenario is that the second North Korea-US summit could be held in New York or Washington, DC, in late September, when the United States General Assembly will convene. Trump has already expressed his desire to host Kim Jong-un in Washington in comments to reporters after the North Korea-US summit in Singapore on June 12. Ultimately, this is when any end-of-war treaty between South Korea, the US and North Korea; or South Korea, the US, North Korea and China could be made into a reality. By Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
