In a surprise move after Donald Trump cancelled his planned meeting with Kim Jong-un in Singapore on 12 June, the two Korean leaders held a surprise summit in the DMZ between the two Koreas. North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in met for only the second time for talks on the northern side of the Panmunjom truce village in the DMZ. The meeting lasted two hours between 3pm and 5pm local time today (6am to 8am GMT). Mr Moon’s office said: “Both leaders exchanged opinions […] for the successful holding of the North Korea-US summit.” Despite Mr Trump’s cancellation signs are evident that both Korean leaders are keen to see the meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Trump still go ahead. Even Donald Trump is showing signs that he may change his mind and go to Singapore on the 12 June – or possibly a later date.
Mr Trump cancelled the talks because of what he described as “tremendous anger and hostility” from the North. However, he appears to have been taken by surprise by the North’s reaction which saw them issue a statement expressing regret about the cancellation and that they were willing “to sit face to face at any time.” Even Mr Trump had to admit that “it was a very nice statement they put out,” and has said that the US administration is still talking with the North and that “we’re gonna see what happens.” Mr Trump added that their are ongoing “very productive” talks to reinstate the US-North Korea summit and he tweeted to say that the 12 June talks could still happen “and if necessary will be extended beyond that date.”
Moon Jae-in said that South Korea was thankful that the “summit embers are not put out and is coming back to life.” Whether the Kim-Trump summit goes ahead is still questionable, not least because they take so long to organise and there may not be time to arrange things before 12 June. It is a good sign, however, that diplomacy is still progressing and today’s surprise summit between Mr Kim and Mr Moon is a very positive move. Mr Moon was perplexed and disturbed by Trump’s cancellation and to some extent has left him out on a limb without the full weight of the US behind him. However, Mr Moon realises that keeping the talks with the North alive is vital to the safety of South Korea. As Adam Mount, a senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, said that Mr Moon’s meeting with Mr Kim today was “bold but risky [and was] a clear demonstration of how dangerous Trump’s temper tantrum was.”
Mr Mount added: “When Kim Jong-un was allowed to split the negotiations into separate tracks with Trump and Moon, he gained leverage over both. […] Moon was sitting too alone at the table today, without the full weight of the United States. […] Trump says ‘everybody plays games’, Moon Jae-in is not playing a game: he must keep his people safe from war. Each of Trump’s whims shakes the walls of the Blue House.”
Sources & Further Reading:
- Trump says ‘productive’ talks held on reinstating N Korea summit – BBC – Saturday 26 May 2018
- Korean leaders meet in surprise summit – BBC – Saturday 26 May 2018
- North and South Korean leaders hold surprise US summit discussions – The Guardian – Saturday 26 May 2018 – by Benjamin Haas in Seoul, Lauren Gambino in Washington, and agencies
- Donald Trump says North Korea summit could be back on – The Guardian – Friday 25 May 2018 – by Sabrina Siddiqui in Washington, Benjamin Haas in Seoul and Justin McCurry
STEPHEN NULTY 