A heightened level of presidential urgency is spurring discussions among American and North Korean counterparts two weeks ahead of an off-again, on-again summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.
The last time the two sides were scheduled to meet, the North Koreans never materialized and Trump scrapped the summit. Aides are cautiously optimistic this time will be different, even as they continue to express private misgivings about the compressed timeline to arrange the meeting.
The results of this week’s parallel talks are likely to dictate whether the June 12 summit between Trump and Kim is possible, according to a US official familiar with the ongoing deliberations. The teams, led by seasoned American officials, hope to determine what Kim is willing to agree to should he meet with Trump next month.
Higher-level talks could also occur before the summit, the official said, including further discussions between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top North Korean officials, including possibly Kim.
A diplomatic victory?
Top Trump aides, including national security adviser John Bolton, have told the President that even a cursory meeting with Kim would amount to a diplomatic victory and allow for more substantive talks to occur in the future.
“Our United States team has arrived in North Korea to make arrangements for the Summit between Kim Jong Un and myself,” Trump tweeted on Sunday evening. “I truly believe North Korea has brilliant potential and will be a great economic and financial Nation one day. Kim Jong Un agrees with me on this. It will happen!”
On Monday morning, Trump discussed the summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has encouraged maintaining firm pressure on North Korea until agreements over its nuclear and missile programs can be reached. Abe previously conferred with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate last month; the two men agreed to meet again before the possible June 12 summit.
On Sunday, current US ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim led a team to the northern side of the “Unification House” along the DMZ for talks on North Korea’s nuclear program.
