The historic Singapore summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un led to speculations that the hermit kingdom is willing to turn over a new leaf and become a part of the mainstream. However, the progress on various fronts didn't seem to be going as expected and things appeared to be moving at a snail’s pace. This was reported to be of concern to the president. At the end of the summit, he declared that there will no longer be any "nuclear threat" from North Korea but now the press reported he was getting angry at the slow progress.
The Chicago Tribune reported that US negotiators are facing stiff resistance from North Korea.
They noted that the country is indulging in delaying tactics, have canceled follow-up meetings, and are also reluctant to maintain the line of communication while improving relations with neighbors China and South Korea. It was intimated that Trump was angry about the slow progress.
Trump denies he is concerned about the slow pace despite media reports
Donald Trump took to his Twitter since the reports came out that he was angered and concerned by slow moves on the part of North Korea. This came after a newer report by the BBC, who reported that 38 North had looked at photos of the Sohae rocket launch station. They showed clear images that something was being dismantled by North Korea. These included partly demolished fuel oxidization bunkers and a rail mounted environmental shelter.
There were other things also being taken apart.
North Korea dismantles missile facilities https://t.co/xqkIXNyGed pic.twitter.com/bTZ8x4Yr5e
— The Breaking News Headlines (@breakingnewshe1) July 24, 2018
In response to the media who said he was angered, Trump called them 'Fake News' for citing 'anonymous sources.' He denied he was angry and said he was actually "very happy."
A Rocket has not been launched by North Korea in 9 months. Likewise, no Nuclear Tests. Japan is happy, all of Asia is happy. But the Fake News is saying, without ever asking me (always anonymous sources), that I am angry because it is not going fast enough. Wrong, very happy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018
Trump wanted some action on denuclearization
Last year, US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un were engaged in verbal duels and Kim had threatened to nuke America. Pyongyang had also identified a number of probable targets and there was global tension about possible after effects, keeping in mind the devastation of Hiroshima.
The anti-climax came in the form of the Singapore summit of June 12 between Trump and Kim, and the world heaved a sigh of relief. The two leaders discussed denuclearization and return of the remains of soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War but did not define any time frame.
There were questions being thrown around about the intentions of Kim’s regime.
Trump and Kim had decided to destroy a “missile-engine testing facility.” In the opinion of U.S. intelligence officials, Pyongyang is reluctant to reveal many aspects of its nuclear program. It was feared that this type of attitude would lead to a delay in the implementation of the summit decisions regarding denuclearization.
North Korea seems to have ramped things up
Army Gen. Vincent Brooks is the commander of US forces in South Korea. He conveyed to the Aspen Security Forum via teleconference that “we haven't seen a complete shutdown of production yet. We have not seen a removal of fuel rods." The CNBC adds that according to the top US military commander on the Korean peninsula, there are no signs of Pyongyang having started work on denuclearization. However, these conflicting reports about the dismantled rocket launch site from the BBC and elsewhere seem to suggest that Donald Trump may not have been unhappy with progress, after all.
