This is a real shame for the USA. Serving as a peacemaker is one of the world's greatest tasks. Perhaps in the future President Trump will have found his way back to the peace table as a partner with South Korea.
May 24, 2018
By John Fritze and Gregory Korte
Washington — President Trump (click here) canceled a scheduled nuclear summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday, citing the "tremendous anger and open hostility" he said Kim displayed in recent statements.
In a letter to Kim, Trump described the decision to end negotiations over the June 12 meeting in Singapore as a "truly sad moment in history." The two countries were working for weeks toward a first-ever summit of a North Korean leader and a U.S. president.
"This is a tremendous setback for North Korea, and indeed a setback for the world," Trump said at the White House hours after the letter was released. "If and when Kim Jong Un chooses to engage in constructive dialogue and actions, I am waiting."
Trump said he spoke to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and allies in the region on Thursday and repeatedly indicated U.S. military forces were ready should North Korea engage in any "foolish or reckless acts." The prospect of a summit had significantly eased tensions between North Korea and the U.S. that had escalated last year....
This is progress. The closing and destruction of the North's single nuclear testing sight is significant.
May 24, 2018
North Korea (click here) said it had fully demolished its only known nuclear test site on Thursday, with a series of planned detonations that put the facility beyond further use.
“The Nuclear Weapons Institute of the DPRK held a ceremony for completely dismantling the northern nuclear test ground on May 24… to ensure transparency of the discontinuance of nuclear test,” the institute said in an English language statement carried on the state-run KCNA news agency. DPRK is the abbreviated version of the country’s official name.
“Dismantling the nuclear test ground was done in such a way as to make all the tunnels of the test ground collapse by explosion and completely close the tunnel entrances, and at the same time, explode some guard facilities and observation posts on the site,” the statement added....
I will repeat, the final nuclear test at the sight was believed to be a hydrogen explosion. That particular explosion was enormous and provided for skepticism as the integrity of the test sight. Closing it was a wise thing to do.
Look, North Korea is a communist state. It has China and Russia to help protect it's people. That is not a minor statement. Both, China and Russia are permanent nuclear countries within the United Nations Security Council; there is no need for North Korea to experiment with such weapons of even stockpile them. Those funds are better spent on the citizens of North Korea.
It is just plain silly for North Korea to isolate itself with threats of nuclear weapons when resuming good relations with the South could bring about a better quality of life for the people of the North.
President Moon Jae-in is absolutely correct to continue to seek better relations with Kim Jong Un. Nothing has to change. North Korea should reflect on the fact South Korea has no nuclear weapon capacity. It trusts its allies to be prepared to defend it should adverse events present themselves.
It is time for Kim Jong Un to stop proliferating nuclear weapons, remove them from the peninsula and begin the process of building trust and economic relationships with South Korea. The people of both countries will be happier. It's that what leadership of any country should want?
There is simply no reason for North Korea to have nuclear weapons and should consider what life would be like for both sides of the DMZ if the weapons were decommissioned and sold to Russia or China. No one needs this, least of all the people of South Korea.
