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Kim expressed 'fixed will' on June 12 summit with Trump in meeting with Moon

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By Soyoung Kim and Roberta Rampton

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Everyone who invested their life savings into those commemorative summit coins must be breathing a sigh of relief.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

A landmark achievement.

South Korea finds it easier to have mature discussions with North Korea than with America.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Let's hope the two can get into a cot next time with a real summit

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

A landmark achievement.

Both Koreas been down this road before.

South Korea finds it easier to have mature discussions with North Korea than with America.

They are the same race, same language, actually, same culture and country, of course they would naturally find discussions easier based on that alone. But still SK won't get far without the help of the US.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

“South Korea finds it easier to have mature discussions with North Korea than with America.”

Huh..... ? Trump said from the start, if I think the negotiations will NOT be fruitful then I will respectfully walk away. Pyongyang is throwing a fit because what Bolton & Spence said.

Pyongyang must bow down & get rid of nukes. Not the Americans!

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Moon and Kim have realized that the situation on the Korean peninsula is their problem. There is no use having the USA involved, especially if that entails having to deal with someone af flakey as Trump.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

US participation not needed, not wanted.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

So what does everyone think NK will ask for in return for their nukes?

Or do you think they won’t give up their nukes?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So what does everyone think NK will ask for in return for their nukes?

For Kim to stay in power.

Or do you think they won’t give up their nukes?

Give up the nukes, stay in power or keep them and talk to Mattis.

US participation not needed, not wanted.

But essential, critical and important.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

What Trump did is basically the equivalent of a car salesman saying “well if the car’s too expensive for you, there’s no use in wasting both our time. But here’s my business card in case you change your mind.”

And it seems to have worked, as NK came groveling back in less than 24hrs.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

Trump definitely pulled one over on Kim with this "cancelling" routine. But it was Kim who set himself up for it. Obviously Kim didn't want to have to advise Xi that the "meeting" was called off.

But the reality remains that meeting or no meeting, unless North Korea accepts the US definition of "denuclearization" this isn't going anywhere. Also, even if they agree but break their word later, again it's a meaningless repeat of the last few decades.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

But still SK won't get far without the help of the US. Still the US wont get far without the help of SK and China, there fixed it for you. seems Moon is in the box seat for the Nobel Prize now!?

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

It isn't over until it is over. Everything is in flux and will be until they close the meeting and announce whatever the results are or are not.

President Trump appears to be playing the tempermental child who wants their way in the candy store. Many parents will just give in to get the child to shut up. Could that be the "play" here?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Super: So what does everyone think NK will ask for in return for their nukes?

I still can’t imagine him wanting to give up the nukes at all. But if he surprises and is willing I think a non-aggression pact of some kind. Obama’s overthrow of Qaddafi seems to be a major issue of contention with North Korea’s top brass. Also huge economic investment from the South. Oh and a trip to Disney World!

Kim and his regime are erratic and seemingly feeling their way around on this. They have gained a lot of leverage by building nuclear bombs and somewhat reliable ballistic missiles to pair them with. If he liked what he saw during his trips to China he may be enticed to want to have the same kind of growing wealth for himself.

wtfjapan: seems Moon is in the box seat for the Nobel Prize now!?

If something positive happens you may be right. Moon is playing the US card well with Kim. He has been humble and is working hard on what seems like an impossible task. Besides, no matter what Trump does the Lefty’s at the Noble Committee would not possibly give it to him. Trumps efforts would still caste a large shadow over Obama’s gimme Nobel.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

But still SK won't get far without the help of the US.  Still the US wont get far without the help of SK and China, there fixed it for you. seems Moon is in the box seat for the Nobel Prize now!

I doubt it, Moon doesn't have the power to pull anything except a subtle peace deal, but denuclearization an end to all hostilities, the issue of the kidnapped Japanese, Moon has nothing to do with any of that, that's where the US comes in. Now if Trump, Kim and Moon can put this together, then the Norwegians should award all three of them with a Nobel Peace Prize.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Kim just officially recommitted to denuclearization and the meeting.

liberals were saying?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

There's another 2 weeks or so. I estimate Trump will change his mind at least 3 times before that date. She loves me, she loves me not,.......

1 ( +1 / -0 )

it was made clear to Kim what the US means. If that’s not what he has in mind the meeting will be cancelled again.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

liberals were saying?

Liberals were saying how foolish you guys were for proclaiming 'winning' and 'success' before Trump had won or succeeded. Which he still hasn't - and yet you're trying to claim some sort of victory again, even though there has been no meeting, no agreement, nor any success.

Don't you get tired of looking foolish? If it takes a step backwards again, we're just going to make fun of your team again for once again proclaiming success where none yet exists.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Liberals and conservatives, and whether or not you like or loathe Trump aside, you have to admit that he did play NK’s brinkmanship to their disadvantage with a classic salesman move.

By cancelling the summit that NK set on their terms, he created a situation where NK must seek a solution on US terms, while showing that NK has nothing to offer but compliance with US terms and conditions.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Liberals and conservatives, and whether or not you like or loathe Trump aside, you have to admit that he did play NK’s brinkmanship to their disadvantage with a classic salesman move.

That’s impossible to declare unless/until an agreement is reached. It one is reached then it was a good negotiation tactic. If no agreement was reached, then it was blustering that probably hurt the deal. We don’t know yet which it is.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I agree, the results of such a tactic are yet to be seen. But he did turn the tables from NK “offering” to talk to NK “begging” for a deal.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I see no begging. I do see Trump pretending he’s indifferent though while his actions show him to be desperate. It’s the one thing that could legitimize his presidency.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

At this point it seems to be NK who is masking their begging in bluster and half baked terms and conditions.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I don’t see that. I see NK playing the same game they’ve been playing for decades. I also see a bunch of people who never cared about NK until Trump piped up about it not realizing Kim is playing them as he and his father and grandfather have done for decades.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Perhaps, but it does seem out of character for NK to apologize for it’s foreign relations spokesperson’s statements(the reason Trump gave for cancelling the summit). Calling them “rash and emotionally-driven.”

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

If I told liberals 2 years ago that our President would have a scheduled meeting with N Korea after 3 of our hostages were released and NK stopped missile tests and destroyed one of their sites, you would have said; “wow, look at the wonderful job done by Hillary and her State Department She is such a master statesman and negotiator.”

trump does it: “meh it might get cancelled still and we don’t really know what’s gonna happen so we are gonna talk negative about it everyday until we know. It’s not really a big deal, you know?”

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Liberal goal post moving

Meeting unsure: meeting won’t be held.

meeting held: he gave away too everything and got nothing.

Denuclearization agreement signed: N Korea not gonna abide by it anyway. Just playing Trump.

Korean war ended: wut? That ended in the 50s didn’t it?

Korean reunited: they were gonna do that anyway. They are the same people after all, ya know?

Nobel prize awarded: Trump didn’t do anything.

well whattabout Iran?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Perhaps, but it does seem out of character for NK to apologize for it’s foreign relations spokesperson’s statements(the reason Trump gave for cancelling the summit). Calling them “rash and emotionally-driven.”

Not really. This is what they do - they tease like they are going to do what the west wants, then they pull away, then they tease it more, then they pull away. They've been doing it decades.

Liberal goal post moving

Not at all. The goal is denuclearlization. That goal post has never shifted. We've criticized Trump's screwups and flip-flops in getting to that point.

Denuclearization agreement signed: N Korea not gonna abide by it anyway. Just playing Trump.

No one has said that. Or at least, no one has said these two points together, we've pointed out that NK is playing Trump.

Korean war ended: wut? That ended in the 50s didn’t it?

Um, the Korean war still hasn't ended. Once again you seem to be confused as to the history on the Korean peninsula.

Nobel prize awarded: Trump didn’t do anything.

Trump hasn't been awarded a nobel prize.

What exactly are they telling you on Fox "News" these days? Your whole post seems to be based in fantasy and not in reality.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If I told liberals 2 years ago that our President would have a scheduled meeting with N Korea after 3 of our hostages were released and NK stopped missile tests and destroyed one of their sites, you would have said; “wow, look at the wonderful job done by Hillary and her State Department She is such a master statesman and negotiator.”

If you had told me two years ago that our President had convinced NK to have talks, but nothing yet had happened, would have said 'don't expect it to - NK is a pro at this game and has been doing it for decades'.

And once again you're trying to deflect from your mistaken blustering by bringing up a has-been. You really are obsessed with her.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Perhaps, but it does seem out of character for NK to apologize for it’s foreign relations spokesperson’s statements(the reason Trump gave for cancelling the summit). Calling them “rash and emotionally-driven.”

Not really. This is what they do - they tease like they are going to do what the west wants, then they pull away, then they tease it more, then they pull away. They've been doing it decades.

The usual NK protocol would be to say “look! The US has defiantly snubbed our gracious leader’s generous offer. We will rain nuclear Armageddon on the belligerent imperialist Yankees.”

Instead they apologized within hours.

NK may or may not have revised the playbook, but it does seem odd that they’d strike a conciliatory tone so quickly.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The usual NK protocol would be to say “look! The US has defiantly snubbed our gracious leader’s generous offer. We will rain nuclear Armageddon on the belligerent imperialist Yankees.”

No, the usual NK protocol is to say things that appear they are being conciliatory, then to pull away. This is entirely in line with what we've seen for decades.

You guys really need to study your NK history.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No, the usual NK protocol is to say things that appear they are being conciliatory, then to pull away. This is entirely in line with what we've seen for decades.

You guys really need to study your NK history.

History of making demands and offering nothing in return, or threatening with “nuclear destruction.” The “pay me to not F you up” strategy.

Koizumi was able to extract an apology for the abduction issue with promises for aid and a phased plan for normalization of relations, but those fell through when NK failed to deliver their side of the bargain while cranking the propaganda rhetoric to 11.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Koizumi was able to extract an apology for the abduction issue with promises for aid and a phased plan for normalization of relations, but those fell through when NK failed to deliver their side of the bargain while cranking the propaganda rhetoric to 11.

Exactly. We’ve seen leaders get close with NK in the past, and then NK pulls away. But it’s like that hot chick guys get stuck in the friend zone with - very frustrating but that end goal is appealing enough that they keep trying.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

However, in this case, it’s Trump playing the “hard to get” by making it obvious that NK really has nothing to offer other than a promise to comply with international demands.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

And that may even work.

But at the moment it’s an unproven tactic that hasn’t achieved anything yet.

It may just be a like guy who plays hard to get with a girl that isn’t interested in him. He can play all he wants, but if all she’s interested in is a free dinner, he’s never going to get the sex.

Right now we have no idea what Kim wants, and nothing will happen without his decision.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

But I think everyone can agree that NK’s actions and words should always be taken with suspicion, especially something as out of character as the past few months.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well, not everyone. Some people think Trump should already have been given the Nobel. But I think you and I are in agreement on that.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I really, really hope NK is sincere on this one.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If it sounds too good to be true... if it quacks like a duck.... of the salesman seems too eager... etc...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I really, really hope NK is sincere on this one.

That could very well be true, not due to any altruistic concerns on NK’s part, but of pure fear of Trump.

The way NK (perhaps) sees it, Trump is a businessman who has not hesitated to pull out of multi-billion dollar deals at the last minute when he didn’t get his way, and has declared bankruptcy several times to cut losses at an early stage.

In NK’s mind, they may be another “liability” for Trump to nip in the bud if they pose a further obstacle to his global strategy.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That could very well be true, not due to any altruistic concerns on NK’s part, but of pure fear of Trump.

If that's the case, then great! Maybe Trump really did scare them, and if he did scare them, which leads to peace, I'll be happy. But right now we know nothing. NK has been living under the threat of American invasion for decades - the decades after the Americans already invaded them.

In NK’s mind, they may be another “liability” for Trump to nip in the bud if they pose a further obstacle to his global strategy.

Let's hope so.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So who's really driving the agenda here: Moon or Kim

(Trump just getting pulled along; didn't even know about their secret meeting)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Whatever happens, does anyone actually believe that NK will honor any agreement?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

does anyone actually believe that NK will honor any agreement?

Trump has already clearly demonstrated that any agreement the US signs up for is liable to be torn up anytime.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

They look like long lost son and father reunion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Blacklabel’s “Liberal goal post moving” was exactly right.

@Strangerland Many people here DO know their NK history. As does Trump and the people around him.

I think it’s different this time because

NK is in an extremely precarious state right now (in large part because of unprecedented sanctions but also other factors)

Trump and others do have the benefit of hindsight - Clinton and others negotiated in good faith. But we have experience of decades of deceit.

As for people talking about poor NK being afraid of invasion from the US- if the US wanted to invade they would have before.

NK is the country firing into and over other countries

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Is anyone else weirded out by that bear hug?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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