Just as the world was expressing shock after the US President Donald Trump called off the summit with North Korea he changed his statement
WASHINGTON, U. S. – Just as the world was expressing shock and dismay after the U. S. President Donald Trump called off the summit with North Korea – a meeting which was cast as a rare chance to get Kim Jong Un to denuclearize – in less than 24 hours, he changed his statement.
On Friday, amid a heated argument between officials from the two countries, Trump declared that he was pulling out of the highly anticipated meeting with Kim Jong Un.
Trump’s decision came just as the recent thaw in ties hit a hurdle after North Korea slammed South Korea and the U. S. for holding joint military drills on the Korean peninsula – weeks before the planned June 12 meeting between Kim Jong Un and Trump.
The U. S. President’s eventual decision to call off the summit came after the U. S. Vice President Mike Pence riled North Korea by repeating the warning that if Pyongyang does not go along with talks to give up its nuclear weapons, Washington could return to the “Libya model.”
To which, North Korea’s Vice-Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said that her country would not “beg the U. S. for dialogue” and warned that it could make Washington “taste an appalling tragedy.”
Son Hui also dubbed Pence a “political dummy” and called his recent comments “ignorant and stupid.”
Following which, Trump announced his official plans to cancel the summit in the form of a letter personally addressed to Kim Jong Un.
Trump wrote that he had been “very much looking forward” to meeting Kim Jong Un, but noted, “Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting.”
He further wrote, “You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used.”
He called the meeting a “missed opportunity,” saying “someday, I look very much forward to meeting you.”
Trump also delivered a statement at the White House, in which he said that the step was a “tremendous setback for North Korea and the world,” adding that the U. S. military was “ready if necessary” to respond to any “reckless” act from North Korea.
Despite brokering talks between Washington and Pyongyang, South Korea was caught off guard by Trump’s abrupt cancellation of the summit.
North Korea meanwhile issued a statement saying it’s still willing to sit for talks with the United States “at any time, (in) any format.”
Then, things changed, in a matter of hours.
Addressing reporters hours later, Trump said that the meeting could potentially be back on.
On Friday, Trump tweeted, “We are having very productive talks with North Korea about reinstating the Summit which, if it does happen, will likely remain in Singapore on the same date, June 12th., and, if necessary, will be extended beyond that date.”
He also tweeted, “Very good news to receive the warm and productive statement from North Korea. We will soon see where it will lead, hopefully to long and enduring prosperity and peace. Only time (and talent) will tell!”
On Saturday, another twist was offered to the world media after the South Korean President’s office announced that the North Korean leader met with South Korean President Moon Jae In in the demilitarized zone for the second time in a month.
The office added that the meeting on Saturday was held to discuss the peace commitments they reached in their first summit.
The Blue House, Jae In’s office also released photos of the meeting and said the leaders met on the North Korean side of the demilitarized zone in the village of Panmunjom between 3 and 5 p.m. local time.
It said that Jae In would personally announce the outcome of Saturday’s summit on Sunday.
According to reports, the two leaders spoke for two hours to “frankly discuss” how they could make the potential summit between Kim Jong Un and Trump a success.
