There is a glimmer of hope for a second summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea. It will be a continuation of the earlier summit in Singapore in June and focus on burning issues like denuclearization and sanctions that are hindering peace in the region. Washington assigns priority to denuclearization, but Pyongyang wants the lifting of sanctions. South Korea has its fingers crossed. It hopes this summit will be a “turning point” in efforts to herald peace in the Korean Peninsula.

Washington Post reports the meeting will probably happen in late February.

At the Singapore summit, North Korea made certain commitments minus any road map. The extent of progress on issues related to nuclear activities from the North Korean side remains hazy and the authorities feel another meeting could help resolve the issues.

Preparatory work for the second summit

U.S. envoy Stephen Biegun is traveling to Stockholm where he will meet Choi Sun Hee, Vice Foreign Minister of North Korea. The two of them will have to do the preparatory work to ensure the success of the forthcoming summit. Their responsibility will be to evolve a plan of action for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and it must be feasible and include a time frame.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is keen to bring normalcy in the region.

He has expressed his opinion on the subject and said both the leaders must go in for concrete action. In his New Year day message, Kim Jong-un said he has stopped producing nuclear weapons. He has also expressed his willingness to dismantle the facilities at Yongbyon site on condition that the United States reciprocates with “corresponding steps.” This could be in the form of sanctions relief and granting permission to set up channels of economic cooperation between the North and the South for undertaking projects that will be to mutual benefit.

The second summit between Trump and Kim

According to BBC, the progress on denuclearization of North Korea continues to be a matter of concern even after the historic summit in Singapore between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. A second summit is under consideration and its venue is still to be decided.

White House says it will probably be by the end of February. President Trump’s press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "The United States is going to continue to keep pressure and sanctions on North Korea." The world expects this summit to be a more fruitful one compared to the previous one, which was a sort of warming up session and a testing ground.