At long last, the tough stand taken by Donald Trump on North Korea is paying dividends. Pyongyang has, for the first time, taken the initiative to inform America that it is ready to discuss denuclearization. South Korea had been acting as a mediator, but the situation appears to have changed.
Sky News reports that Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are due to meet in May. When that happens, Trump will be the first sitting president of the United States to meet with a leader from North Korea. Incidentally, Trump is firm on sanctions which will remain in force until such a time that there is an agreement.
Desperation is showing
South Korea's national security adviser indicated that Kim Jong-un has agreed to meet Donald Trump and will put on hold his nuclear and missile tests because he feels denuclearization is important. This change in his stance was visible after his sudden visit to Beijing to meet the senior Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. Obviously, the face-to-face meeting has helped the cause and hopes of peace returning to the korean peninsula have brightened.
A summit between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea is scheduled for the 27th of April. It will be the third one between the two countries, and was finalized after Kim’s trip to China. This meeting will lay the groundwork for the more important summit between Trump and Kim.
All concerned must tread with caution because both leaders are known to be unpredictable and officials must ensure that the talks end with favorable results.
Let peace return
The change in attitude of North Korea could be attributed to the impact of global sanctions on the regime of Kim Jong-un. These have a direct impact on the economy of the country, and the leader must have realized that cozying up to his southern neighbor would be a better option to resolve his problems.
That could have prompted him to reactivate the hotline with Seoul and send his athletes to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Subsequently, he visited Beijing and one can presume that Xi Jinping, the president of China, advised him on some of the relevant issues.
ABC News adds that the direct confirmation from Pyongyang instead of through a third party like South Korea is a positive sign in terms of the seriousness that the North is placing on this meeting. This direct contact has raised the confidence level within the Trump administration. However, it has preferred to remain silent on the timing of this meeting and its venue.
