Meeting Between Trump And Kim Jong-un: A Promise For Peace? 

U.S. President Donald J. Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un are to meet and engage peace talks toward the end of May. The unprecedented and historic announcement was made on Thursday, March 8.

Many questions hang in the air following the announcement. Will Trump, who was exalted for his business acumen approach to politics, his ability to get things done and strike deals, be able to make a deal with North Korea’s demands? Will North Korea actually abide by anything it promises given its rogue past?

No standing presidents of the United States have ever met with the North Korean leader. The two heads of states agreed to come to the table after a South Korean envoy that was sent to the North to meet with state officials, delivered to Trump a request by Kim to meet. In addition, the message included a willingness from Kim to concede his nuclear weapon capabilities.

Kim’s potential concession as an offered condition seems like hope in the overly tense climate of the past year. In September, the world watched with bated breath as North Korea declared their success in creating a hydrogen bomb with the capability of reaching the U.S. In the next month, it threatened to strike the U.S. territory of Guam.

The two leaders even exchanged insults as a result of the clashing. Trump outrageously tweeted in Trump-like-fashion, promising to meet Kim with “fire and fury.” Kim Jong-un continued to use North Korean sponsored news channels to convict Trump and his government of their offences.

So, what motivates the two, who name-called each other ‘rocket-man’ and ‘dotard’ previously, to meet now?

The North has not stated what they would want from a meeting. Previously they had refused to begin any kind of peace talks, holding the joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea as the condition that barred them from initiating talks. However, it is now agreeing to meet while the drills proceed.

It is possible that the severe sanctions imposed on the North are beginning to take its toll upon the nation. The economic pressure set upon the aberrant state may have forced them to the table.

The U.S., on the other hand, has stressed their need for nuclear disarmament by the North. However, the North has agreed to denuclearize before, but has violated its agreement to do so in the 2003 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

According to the BBC, Trump says that unless progress for disarmament was clear, he would leave peace talks.

“Hey, who knows what’s going to happen? I may leave fast or we may sit down and make the greatest deal for the world.”

A hopeful, albeit fragile relationship has been restored between the two fiercely opposed countries. In addition to the two’s future, many details such as the location and date of the meeting remain in the balance.

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