Trump eyes new meeting with North Korean leader this fall — WSJ
Photo: US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump is seeking to arrange a face-to-face meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as early as this fall, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Why does Trump want this meeting?
According to the agency, Trump is privately discussing the possibility of meeting with Kim during his November visit to Asia—when world leaders will gather for an economic summit in Shenzhen, China.
There are no official preparations yet, but the President's interest alone shows that he needs a high-profile foreign policy victory, as he has so far been unable to achieve success in the war with Iran.
However, analysts are skeptical about the chances of real progress. Four years after Trump's three previous summits with Kim, Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal has not only failed to shrink but has also become capable of striking the US mainland.
Former senior CIA official Bruce Klingner went so far as to call the idea of a new meeting an attempt to appease yet another dictator based on a misguided belief in the power of personal relationships.
First attempt already failed
Last year, Trump already tried to arrange a meeting during his Asian tour, publicly hinting to reporters about his desire to speak with Kim. Pyongyang hinted at that time that it was open to dialogue, but it was not possible to organize everything on such short notice, and Trump himself later acknowledged that such a meeting could overshadow his planned talks with Xi Jinping.
What North Korea seeks
The US still does not officially recognize North Korea as a nuclear power, although this is precisely what Kim wants most—for Washington to finally abandon the idea of denuclearizing the country and accept the status quo.
Why Kim in stronger position this time
Unlike during the first summits, Pyongyang's position is now significantly stronger. North Korea has drawn closer to China, deepened its missile cooperation with Iran, and sent thousands of troops to fight alongside Russia against Ukraine, giving the North Korean army real combat experience.
According to estimates by independent experts, the DPRK's nuclear arsenal may already number several hundred warheads, which is significantly more than the official estimates from nearly a decade ago, which are still frequently cited.
Talk of a possible meeting between Trump and Kim comes amid other signs of a thaw in relations. On August 18, Trump stated that Kim Jong Un had always treated him with respect—this came after the US President had instructed the Pentagon the day before to significantly reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and Seoul's refusal to join actions against Iran.
These moves came shortly after threats from Pyongyang itself. Earlier, the DPRK had stated that the upcoming US-South Korea military exercises were bringing the world closer to nuclear war, adding that it might exercise its right to self-defense.
