US President Trump welcomes progress at Kim-Moon meeting

World Today

US President Trump welcomes progress at Kim-Moon meeting

U.S. President Donald Trump is among those who welcomed the results of the Korean Summit.

Trump looks forward to his own potential meeting with Pyongyang’s leader, to be held in May or June. CGTN’s Nathan King reports from the White House with more on Trump’s reaction.

U.S. President Donald Trump reflected the global goodwill created by the inter-Korean summit. He first reacted in a tweet that read: “KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!”

Trump also confirmed that his planned summit with Kim Jong Un was still on and that the possible location had been narrowed down to two locations. However, there were still few specifics on what Pyongyang is offering in terms of “denuclearization.”

But Trump rejected concerns that the DPRK may be stringing the U.S. along. “We’re not going to be played, OK. We’re going to hopefully make a deal. If we don’t, that’s fine,” said the U.S. president.

Trump said that denuclearization means that the DPRK gives up all nuclear weapons. His national security adviser, John Bolton, and new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have argued that it must happen quickly and be fully verifiable and irreversible.

The Trump administration will be looking for clarification of the Panmunjom declaration in the coming days from Seoul and from the DPRK. Trump said Friday that high level contact with Pyongyang was ongoing.

He also recognized that, for the Korean War to come to an official end and pressure to be kept on Pyongyang, he needs continued coordination with Beijing. “President Xi has been extremely helpful to me. We have a very good relationship. He’s been extremely helpful to me at the border,” explained Trump.

The Kim-Trump meeting is still on but the details on what the DPRK is willing to offer and what the U.S. is willing to accept are likely very different.