President and his chief diplomat offer seemingly contradictory messages about when Kim Jong Un could reap financial rewards
SEOUL, South Korea — President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appear to be on different pages about when the U. S. might start to peel back sanctions against North Korea. Mr. Trump said on Tuesday, immediately after his meeting with Kim Jong Un, that sanctions would be rolled back when the North’s nuclear weapons are no longer a factor, and indicated that could happen when the denuclearization process is 20 percent complete.
Pompeo, on the other hand, continues to reiterate the long-held administration policy that sanctions will not be rolled back until denuclearization is complete.
« The sanctions will come off when we are sure that the nukes are no longer a factor. Sanctions played a big role, but they’ll come off at that point. I hope it’s gonna be soon, » Mr. Trump told reporters in Singapore after his meeting with Kim.
« Scientifically you have to wait certain amount of time. And a lot of things happen. But despite that, once you start the process it means it’s pretty much over — you can’t use them. That’s the good news. And that’s going to start very, very soon, I believe that’s going to start very soon, » said Mr. Trump.
He explained that he had spoken with nuclear experts and believes that when the denuclearization process is « 20 percent through, » North Korea will be at a point where it « can’t go back. »
Experts have told CBS News that complete denuclearization could take anywhere between three and 15 years. Neither Mr. Trump nor any experts or other members of his administration have mentioned the 20 percent threshold since his Tuesday news conference, and it remains unclear how long it could take to reach that stage in the process, or what major steps would constitute it.
