President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after crossing the DMZ. The Hill/Getty.
President Trump has become the first US president to cross the DMZ in Korea and has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the White House. The Hill. Trump and Kim shook hands over the DMZ and then the President crossed into North Korea. The two men then met for 45 minutes and discussed another summit to relieve tensions over North Korea's nuclear program. After the failed Singapore summit, relations had cooled. However, Kim Jong Un had sent President Trump a "wonderful letter" which warmed things up again. Trump had tweeted out that he had wanted to meet with Kim while he was in the region and Kim quickly agreed.
After some very important meetings, including my meeting with President Xi of China, I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon). While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2019
My Comment:
This is largely a historical footnote as the real work was happening behind the scenes. President Trump crossing into North Korea is mostly about showing how much the relationship between the two countries has changed. It's a huge step but it's mostly a symbolic one. The change here is that the stalled nuclear talks are back on and are apparently doing well enough to risk embarrassment by all sides if it doesn't work out.
The real work is going to happen at the Washington summit which will hopefully happen soon. There is much to discuss with sanctions and North Korea's nuclear program the main sticking points. Hopefully this time the President and Kim Jong Un can get it done. Doing so would finally end one of the largest tinder boxes in the world today and would lead to better outcomes for both North Korea and the rest of the world. It would be a huge boon for the suffering people of North Korea who are always having problems with food and poverty.
I do have to say that it's pretty amazing that President Trump was able to do this. It seems like just a little while ago Vice President Pence was staring daggers over the DMZ and now President Trump is just walking across like it's no big deal. Such a change in so little time.
I was expecting some progress to be made after I heard the announcement about the "wonderful letter" President Trump had received for his birthday from Kim Jong Un. I thought then that things would probably pick up again and that talks would probably start up. Going to the DMZ wasn't what I was expecting but it is good that things are back on track.
If a nuclear deal does happen it would probably serve as an example of the world's other major hotspot, Iran. North Korea has been a bigger enemy than they have been but if they can come to the table Iran can as well. Backing out of Obama's stupid nuclear deal hurts things a great deal but perhaps this meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un can convince the Iranians to play ball.
Still, it may be too early to celebrate. There is still much work to do and a million and one things that can go wrong between now and a nuclear deal. Remember, the Singapore summit fell apart at the last minute so there is every chance that this deal could as well. But hopefully this time around will be different and we will no longer need to worry about a nuclear North Korea.
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