Mount Paektu is the highest mountain in north korea and Kim Jong-un climbed it once again. He was on horseback. The mountain holds a special significance for the people of the country because it is the birthplace of Kim Jong-un's father. Kim has scaled the 9000-feet (2,750-metre) peak more than once. It usually preceded any major announcement. Obviously, the world is curious to know what the leader has to say. It is common knowledge that the hermit kingdom is in a crisis and affected by the sanctions imposed on it because of its nuclear ambitions.

Kim had shown a willingness to discuss the issue and met Donald Trump for face-to-face talks twice but they were non-productive.

The BBC reports about another round of talks between officials of the United States and North Korea held earlier this month in Sweden. It followed a brief meeting President Donald Trump had with Kim Jong-un at the DMZ in June. The talks held now failed to arrive at an acceptable formula. In the words of the North Korean envoy, the negotiations have "not fulfilled our expectation and finally broke off." The US, on its part, maintained that the discussions were “good.” Incidentally, before the talks began, North Korea conducted its 11th test this year by launching a new type of ballistic missile.

Previous visits to Mount Paektu

Mount Paektu is an active volcano located some distance from Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.

It is on the border between North Korea and China and Koreans consider it to be the birthplace of Dangun who founded the first Korean kingdom. That was more than 4,000 years ago. Kim Jong-un came to the mountain in 2017 a few weeks before he gave his New Year’s address. The global community welcomed it because it dropped hints of a changed perception related to the South and a possible diplomatic thaw.

Subsequently, he visited it in 2018 along with Moon Jae-in, President of the South. In fact, Kim Jong-un climbed Mount Paektu at least three times. The BBC quotes KCNA, the official news agency as saying – "His march on horseback in Mt Paektu is a great event of weighty importance in the history of the Korean revolution."

Kim Jong-un keeps the world guessing

According to Independent UK, the trip of the North Korean leader to Mount Paektu could be a prelude to a major announcement.

That is the opinion of analysts because Kim Jong-un pays a visit to this place before he announces any shift in policy. He did it in 2017 just before his country launched its largest intercontinental ballistic missile, and weeks before hinting at a diplomatic thaw with its southern neighbor.

Last year he accompanied South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the top of the mountain. It was part of a historic summit. However, the progress on denuclearization is slow and the North has conducted several short-range missile tests in the recent past. President Donald Trump has not assigned much importance to such activities. He is determined to arrive at a diplomatic deal that could cement his legacy.
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