Pompeo not going to Pyongyang "at this time."

Channel A Top Ten News graphic Youtube Aug 23. "Big Brother" invited to the 9.9 commemoration, which weapons will North Korea publicly display?


It makes no sense for Pompeo to go this week because (1) he has nothing to offer on counts 1 and 2 of the Singapore declaration and (2) why go before Xi and Moon have their respective summits with Kim?

After continuously poking Xi in the eye, not just on trade but also diplomatically, with the stupid remarks concerning El Salvador and China, he could wait and see if Xi will encourage Kim to go forward on the negotiations anyway, wait and see if Kim rolls out ICBMs during the parade (perhaps in Xi's presence on Sept 9), or how China intends to handle this. Moon can then find out at his summit if it takes place whether there is an opportunity for any opening with Pyongyang, and convey the message to Washington, whatever it is for better or worse. The timing of President Moon's visit could be important. Will he get to see Kim before the UN General Assembly convenes on Sep. 18? If he does, some meaningful negotiations or gestures could possibly take place there.

If China, Russia, North Korea, and, for that matter, South Korea, are waiting for the US to make a small gesture on the "peace regime" on the peninsula, or make some moves toward normalization of relations, it can't happen due to Trump's impaired and weakened position domestically in the US. The US is offering nothing, is focused on denuclearization only, and for that reason, it is likely that Kim wouldn't even talk to Pompeo at all even if he did go to Pyongyang. Pompeo had nothing to offer so he appointed a special envoy to work on the problem with a view to a later meeting. Korean sources briefed on what happened before Trump's tweets canceling the Pompeo mission to Pyongyang say Pompeo and Andrew Kim were there in the White House before the first tweet went out, and Pompeo was involved in drafting it. Bolton was on the phone conferencing with them according to South Korean sources.

Update Aug. 26:

Trump- if you're going to come back empty handed, don't go. TV Chosun news reporting on the Wash Post story. My version of this would be, if you're going empty handed don't go. Of course, the picture shows Ambassador Sang Kim was also at the meeting confirming earlier reports.