Monday, June 24, 2019

Trump may visit DMZ while in South Korea sparking rumors


It's amusing the lengths the South Korean media will go to guess what exactly the "interesting" contents of the letter Kim was pictured reading so intently in the pose shown by KCNA may have been:

(Source- YTN News 6.24) 1. US Presidential letterhead. 2. Addressee/ Sender 3. Assumed greetings 4. Main contents 5. Assumed closing 6. Two bold underlines 7. Trump's signature

It isn't clear who put the underlines on the bottom of the page. It's so frustrating, because it almost seems as if it might be possible to see through the paper and read the letter if one had the right specialized equipment. The message could be something like, "I'll be in the Joint Security Area on the 29th, have your people call my people. Hope to see you there. " Maybe this is an illusion like so many things concerning US- North Korean relations. The rife speculation and guesswork is indicative of the importance of this matter to South Koreans.

An article was published by Reuters today, which discussed Trump's upcoming visit to South Korea for a summit meeting with President Moon, after the G-20 meeting in Osaka, Japan, is completed. Here is the part of that news that is prompting rumors in South Korea:

Trump is considering a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, a South Korean official said. Trump wanted to go there during a 2017 trip to South Korea but heavy fog prevented it.

Kim and Moon held their historic first summit in the DMZ last year, so a Trump visit to the border between the two Koreas this weekend could spark speculation of a meeting with Kim there.


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea/trump-to-visit-south-korea-as-pompeo-raises-hope-for-new-north-korea-talks-after-letter-idUSKCN1TP0QS

There really isn't a lot of time in the schedule for a Trump-Kim meeting at the DMZ, and there hasn't been time enough yet for any significant preparation for meaningful nuclear negotiation at the working level by qualified experts. Trump is arriving in South Korea the afternoon on the 29th and scheduled to summit with Moon on the 30th, and then is scheduled to leave South Korea.

Jong Se Hyun former Unification Minister in South Korea started this speculation yesterday in a radio interview. He said there is really no reason Trump couldn't cross the DMZ causing an international media sensation. As an extraordinary character like Trump might want to do to give his reelection campaign a big boost. Critics of Jong have said that this is wishful thinking on his part. Other South Korean observers say that there hasn't been enough time even for security preparations and that an impromptu summit meeting is just unprecedented and illogical. YTN News and Channel A News Top Ten covered this story today. Jong Se Hyun said in the YTN interview today that any meeting at the DMZ were it to take place would only provide an opportunity to shake hands. The most that could be expected would be that such a meeting whatever its public relations value to the respective leaders, would potentially mark the commencement of a schedule for working groups from the US and North Korea, to meet and generate more concrete arrangements for renewed negotiations between the two states.

Reuters reported yesterday that Trump has no plans to meet with Kim Jong Un while in South Korea after the G-20 Summit according to an unnamed senior administration official.





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