Trump hopes to meet Kim Jong-un in January or February
US President Donald Trump said yesterday he hoped to organize a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in early 2019, perhaps as soon as January or February. Trump said "three sites" were in consideration for the meeting, a follow-up to their historic Singapore summit. "I think we're going to do one soon, into January, February," he said on the future meeting.
Trump and Kim opened up dialogue on denuclearization in Jun'18
Trump had been in Buenos Aires, Argentina for the Group of 20 Summit. In June this year, Trump and Kim opened up dialogue on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula after months of trading military threats and pointed barbs.
Denuclearization progress stalled as Washington and Pyongyang spar
The two leaders signed a vaguely worded document on denuclearisation of the peninsula, but progress since has stalled as Washington and Pyongyang spar and North Korea has taken few concrete steps to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's meeting with a top North Korean official was also abruptly put off in early November.
Trump and Moon Jae-in committed to achieve fully verified denuclearization
Pompeo was due to meet the North Korean official, but the meeting was abruptly put off, with North Korea insisting that Washington ease sanctions. On Friday, Trump discussed the situation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the sidelines of the G20 summit. The pair "reaffirmed their commitment to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization" of North Korea, Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.
DPRK should understand denuclearization is the only path: US
Trump, Moon Jae-in agreed on the need for "maintaining vigorous enforcement of existing sanctions to ensure the DPRK understands that denuclearization is the only path," Sanders said, using the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. But differences have emerged between Washington and Seoul on how to proceed with Kim, as the dovish Moon has long favored engagement with the North.
