Tag: us-north korea ties

Donald Trump becomes first US president to set foot in North Korea, meets Kim Jong Un

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas on Sunday, shaking hands warmly and both expressing hopes for peace.

It was the third meeting between the two leaders in just over a year and will raise hopes for a revival of stalled nuclear talks.

Trump, escorted by Kim, briefly crossed a military demarcation line that had for years represented a tense Cold War border, into the North, becoming the first ever sitting US president to set foot in the reclusive country.

Moments later they returned to the South Korean side and joined President Moon Jae-in for a brief chat, marking an unprecedented three-way gathering. Trump and Kim then held a bilateral closed-door meeting.

“It’s a great day for the world,” Trump said as he and Kim stood together amidst a throng of press photographers, aides and bodyguards.

Kim looked relaxed and smiled as he chatted with Trump.

“I was surprised to see your message that you wanted to meet me,” he told Trump, referring to Trump’s Saturday offer, in a Twitter posting, to meet.

“This is an expression of his willingness” to work towards a new future, Kim said.

Kim said it would be a great honour if Trump visited his capital of Pyongyang.

“To cross that line was a great honour,” Trump said, referring to his brief incursion into the North Korean side of the DMZ.

Trump arrived in South Korea late on Saturday for talks with Moon after attending a Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan, during which he made the surprise, spur-of-the-moment offer to meet Kim, who accepted it.

Trump and Kim met in the so-called Joint Security Area (JSA), which is patrolled by soldiers from both Koreas. Moon joined the two after their initial handshakes.

Trump and Kim met for the first time in Singapore in June last year, and agreed to improve relations and work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

But there has been little progress since then.

A second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February broke down after the two sides failed to narrow differences between a US demand for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and a North Korean demand for sanctions relief.

Trump had earlier told Moon that he had “plenty of time” and was in “no rush” to reach a deal.

North Korea has pursued nuclear and missile programmes for years in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, and easing tensions with North Korea is one of the US president’s top foreign policy priorities.

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North Korea’s Kim arrives in Vietnam for summit; Trump on his way

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday for a summit with US President Donald Trump where they will try to reach an agreement on a North’s Korean pledge to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

Trump is due to arrive in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, on Tuesday evening.

Trump will meet Kim for a brief one-on-one conversation on Wednesday evening, followed by a social dinner, at which they will each be accompanied by two guests and interpreters, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Air Force One.

She said that would be followed by more meetings between the two leaders on Thursday.

Their talks come eight months after their historic summit in Singapore, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader.

While there is no real expectation that the second meeting will bring a final deal on ridding North Korea of nuclear weapons that threaten the United States, there are some hopes it could lead to a declaration that the 1950-53 Korean War is at last formally over.

But the United States would expect significant movement by Kim towards denuclearisation in return.

In Singapore, Kim pledged to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, but the vague agreement struck there has produced few concrete results. US Democratic senators and security officials have warned Trump against cutting a deal that would do little to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

Kim travelling from the North Korean capital by train, arrived at the station in the Vietnamese town of Dong Dang after crossing over the border from China, a Reuters witnesses at the station said.

Vietnamese officials were on hand to receive him at the station with a red-carpet including a guard of honour and North Korean and Vietnamese flags flying.

Kim left his train in Dong Dang and set off on the 170 km (105 miles) to the capital, Hanoi, by car.

Both Kim and Trump are also due to hold separate talks with Vietnamese leaders.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also arrived in Hanoi, on Tuesday, a reporter travelling with him said.

Pompeo has been Trump’s top envoy in his efforts to improve ties with the reclusive North and has made several trips to Pyongyang to negotiate steps towards ending its nuclear programme.

‘Tremendous’

Trump told reporters he and Kim would have “a very tremendous summit”.

Tweeting on Monday, he stressed the benefits to North Korea if it gave up its nuclear weapons. “With complete Denuclearization, North Korea will rapidly become an Economic Powerhouse. Without it, just more of the same. Chairman Kim will make a wise decision!” Trump said.

In a speech on Sunday night, Trump, however, appeared to play down any hope of a major breakthrough at the Hanoi summit, saying he would be happy as long as North Korea maintained its pause on weapons testing.

“I’m not in a rush. I don’t want to rush anybody,” he said. “I just don’t want testing. As long as there’s no testing, we’re happy.”

North Korea conducted its last nuclear test in September 2017 and last tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017.

A South Korean presidential spokesman told reporters in Seoul on Monday that the two sides might be able to agree to a formal end of the Korean War, which ended in an armistice not a peace treaty, a move North Korea has long sought.

While a formal peace treaty may be a long way off, the two sides have discussed the possibility of a political declaration stating that the war over.

“The possibility is there,” the South Korean spokesman, Kim Eui-kyeom told a briefing.

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Trump heads to North Korea summit in no rush on denuclearisation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Donald Trump headed for Vietnam on Monday for a second summit with Kim Jong Un, having stressed the benefits to Pyongyang if the North Korean leader gives up his nuclear weapons, but saying there was no rush.

Trump and Kim are due to meet in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, on Wednesday and Thursday, eight months after their historic summit in Singapore, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader.

While there is no real expectation that the second meeting will bring a final deal on ridding North Korea of nuclear weapons that threaten the United States, there are some hopes it could bring a declaration that the 1950-53 Korean War is at last formally over.

In Singapore, Kim pledged to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, but the vague agreement struck there has produced few concrete results. US Democratic senators and security officials have warned Trump against cutting a deal that would do little to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump left for Vietnam aboard Air Force One from Joint Base Andrews just outside Washington shortly after 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 GMT) on Monday. He is due to arrive in Hanoi on Tuesday evening, local time.

Trump will meet Kim for a brief one-on-one conversation on Wednesday evening, followed by a social dinner, at which they will each be accompanied by two guests and interpreters, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Air Force One. She said that would be followed by more meetings between the two leaders on Thursday.

She said Trump would be accompanied at the dinner by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.

Speaking in Washington on Sunday, Trump said he believed he saw eye-to-eye with Kim and that they had developed “a very, very good relationship.”

Tweeting on Monday, he stressed the benefits to North Korea if it gave up its nuclear weapons. “With complete Denuclearisation, North Korea will rapidly become an Economic Powerhouse. Without it, just more of the same. Chairman Kim will make a wise decision!” Trump said.

Trump told reporters he and Kim would have “a very tremendous summit.”

In a speech on Sunday night, Trump, however, appeared to play down any hope of a major breakthrough at the Hanoi summit, saying he would be happy as long as North Korea maintained its pause on weapons testing.

“I’m not in a rush. I don’t want to rush anybody,” he said. “I just don’t want testing. As long as there’s no testing, we’re happy.”

North Korea conducted its last nuclear test in September 2017 and last tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017.

Domestic Pressure

Trump’s departure from Washington comes at a time of increased pressure at home.

Anticipation has been rising about the impending release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, although a senior US Justice Department official said on Friday it would not come this week.

Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen is due to testify in a public hearing before a US congressional committee on Wednesday, and the panel’s chairman said Trump’s business practices would be a focus of the testimony.

A South Korean presidential spokesman told reporters in Seoul the two sides might be able to agree to a formal end of the Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, a move North Korea has long sought.

While a formal peace treaty may be a long way off, the two sides have discussed the possibility of a political declaration stating that the war over.

“The possibility is there,” the spokesman, Kim Eui-kyeom told a briefing in Seoul.

Before its testing halt, the North conducted a series of tests that it says has given it the capability of reaching the US mainland with nuclear weapons.

The United States has for years demanded North Korea’s complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation before any concessions will be granted. North Korea denounced that stance as unilateral and “gangster-like.”

In recent days, Trump has signalled a possible softening, saying he would love to be able to remove tough sanctions if there was meaningful progress on denuclearisation.

Easing of punishing sanctions is a top priority for North Korea. It warned Trump on Sunday not to listen to US critics who it said were disrupting efforts to improve ties. Trump has scoffed at those questioning his handling of North Korea, and added that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been supportive of US efforts.

Sanctions To Remain In Place

In return for a declaration that the war is over, North Korea could allow international inspectors to observe the dismantlement of its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, analysts say.

The United States could also agree to opening US-North Korea liaison offices and allow some inter-Korean projects, provided the North takes steps toward denuclearisation.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN on Sunday that core economic sanctions “that prevent countries from conducting trade, creating wealth for North Korea … are definitely going to remain in place” until complete denuclearisation.

But he suggested there could be other concessions toward North Korea, such as “exchanges of people, lots of other ways … if we get a substantial step and move forward.”

In Geneva, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he hoped the summit would produce “concrete steps for sustainable, peaceful and complete and verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.”

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who supports opening up North Korea, praised Trump and Kim, saying those opposed to better ties on the peninsula, and between North Korea and the United States, should “discard such biased perspectives”.

Kim is making his way to Vietnam by train through China and is expected to arrive in Vietnam early on Tuesday.

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Trump’s 2020 Democratic rivals pounce to criticize State of the Union speech

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Democrats vying to challenge US President Donald Trump in the 2020 election moved quickly to attack his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, saying it lacked substance and did nothing to unite the country.

About 10 Democrats have already launched campaigns to challenge Trump, and a dozen more could enter the race for their party’s nomination.

US Senator Cory Booker, who announced his own bid last Friday, said Trump’s call for unity on Tuesday was hollow.

“It takes more than a nod to unity at the top of a speech to bring our country together. Our president has spent the last 2 years trying to drive us apart,” he wrote on Twitter. “Actions speak louder than words.”

Also Read: Donald Trump speech highlights: US President stresses border, healthcare, foreign policy in his State of the Union address

Stacey Abrams, who fell just short in her bid last year to become the first African-American and first woman governor of Georgia, delivered the official Democratic response to Trump’s speech.

But many of the party’s presidential hopefuls chimed in afterward with their own critiques.

“He wasn’t moving us forward and rising to the challenges of the day,” Senator Amy Klobuchar said on MSNBC. She also hinted at a likely run for president, saying she would hold a rally in Minnesota on Sunday to announce her decision.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who has launched her own White House bid, solicited campaign donations after a video of her shaking her head at Trump drew attention on Twitter.

“President Trump has had years to bring this country together, but instead he has chosen to divide the country across every single line he can imagine,” Gillibrand said in a statement.

Trump used his speech to highlight a strong economy, but drew criticism by vowing to build a wall on the border with Mexico despite Democratic opposition.

Angered by criminal and congressional probes into his 2016 election campaign team, Trump also told Democrats that “ridiculous partisan investigations” could damage American prosperity.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is not running for president but has emerged as a leading liberal progressive voice within her party since she was elected to the House of Representatives in November, said Trump’s speech lacked policy substance.

“I think the president was unprepared. I don’t think he did his homework. … There was no plan,” Ocasio-Cortez said on MSNBC. “Is this a campaign stop or a State of the Union?”

Other Democratic hopefuls railing against Trump included Senator Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

Senator Sherrod Brown, who is weighing a presidential campaign, said Trump had not done enough for working people.

“The reality is that for far too many people in this country, hard work isn’t paying off like it should,” Brown said. “President Trump doesn’t understand that, and he’s used the White House to enrich people like himself.”

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Trump vows to build border wall, warns Democrats against investigations

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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President Donald Trump vowed in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday to build a border wall that is a source of a deep partisan divide and said Democratic attempts at “ridiculous partisan investigations” could damage US prosperity.

Trump spoke in the chamber of the House of Representatives facing political discord over his demands that Democrats end their opposition to funding for a border wall he says is needed to stem illegal immigration and smuggled drugs.

He called illegal immigration “an urgent national crisis,” but stopped short of declaring a border emergency that would allow him to bypass Congress for wall funding. Instead, he urged Democrats and Republicans to find a compromise by a February 15 deadline.

“In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall, but the proper wall never got built. I will get it built,” Trump said in the highly anticipated speech before a joint session of the US Congress, with his main Democratic adversary, new House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, watching over his shoulder.

Democrats call the wall a waste of money and ineffective.

At the same time, Trump warned that Democratic efforts to investigate his administration, along with the possibility of US involvement in wars abroad, would endanger the US economy.

“An economic miracle is taking place in the United States and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations,” he said.

His remarks came as Democrats who now control the House planned a series of probes into the Trump administration and a special prosecutor investigates Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow. Russia denies meddling and Trump has said there was no collusion.

Apart from lauding economic accomplishments – unemployment near a five-decade low and manufacturing job growth among them – Trump’s speech was light on new initiatives to further stoke growth in an economy seen as losing momentum as it began 2019. A Reuters poll last month forecast economic growth would slow to 2.1 percent this year after likely averaging around 3 percent in 2018.

Two Sides At Odds

Pelosi, who wore white like many Democratic lawmakers to celebrate the 100th anniversary of American women gaining the right to vote, applauded half-heartedly at times and frequently sat stony-faced through Trump’s address.

She has shown no sign of budging from her opposition to Trump’s wall-funding demand. That has led Trump to contemplate declaring a national emergency, which he says would let him reallocate funding from elsewhere without congressional action.

Some of Trump’s fellow conservatives have urged him not to declare an emergency. Such a move would “upend” the balance of powers between the White House and Congress, Republican Senator Susan Collins told reporters on Tuesday.

Trump used part of his speech to offer a spirit of compromise, particularly in areas such as lowering the price of prescription drugs and funding a $1 trillion upgrade in US roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

But whether Trump and his opponents would follow through was far from clear, with both sides entrenched in long-held positions and girding for 2020 elections, reluctant to give the other side a political victory.

The Republican president appeared in the House chamber just weeks after his demand for $5.7 billion in funding for a US-Mexico border wall triggered a historic 35-day partial government shutdown that more than half of Americans blamed him for, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.

The nationally televised address gave Trump his biggest opportunity to date to explain why he believes a barrier is needed on the US southern border with Mexico. The speech was delayed for a week because of the shutdown, which ended on January 25.

“Simply put, walls work and walls save lives. So let’s work together, compromise, and reach a deal that will truly make America safe,” Trump said.

Trump also called attention to his efforts to rewrite trade deals with China and other nations to make the terms more favorable to the United States.

As his economic advisers work to complete a trade deal with China, Trump said any agreement “must include real, structural change to end unfair trade practices, reduce our chronic trade deficit, and protect American jobs.”

He also called out Iran for threats against Israel.

“We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants Death to America and threatens genocide against the Jewish people,” he will say.

Trump also addressed foreign policy, including support for an effort to coax Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro into leaving power and declaring the Islamic State militant group all but defeated.

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Trump to say in speech fixing immigration system is ‘moral duty’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Donald Trump planned in his State of the Union address on Tuesday to challenge Democrats to approve funding for his long-sought border wall, while stopping short of declaring a national emergency over it.

At 9 PM (0200 GMT Wednesday) before a joint session of Congress, Trump was likely to stir contention with remarks on immigration policy, after his demand for $5.7 billion in wall funds triggered a historic 35-day partial government shutdown that more than half of Americans blamed him for, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.

“We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens,” Trump will say, according to excerpts of his State of the Union speech released by the White House.

“No issue better illustrates the divide between America’s working class and America’s political class than illegal immigration. Wealthy politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives behind walls and gates and guards,” he will say.

Millions of Americans were expected to watch the address on television, giving Trump his biggest opportunity to date to explain why he believes a barrier is needed on the US southern border with Mexico. The speech was delayed for a week because of the shutdown, which ended on January 25.

Trump arrived at the Capitol on Tuesday night for the speech. During his address in the chamber of the House of Representatives, sitting behind him over his shoulder will be his main congressional adversary, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who became House speaker after her party won control of the chamber in November’s elections.

Many Democratic women lawmakers appeared for the event dressed in white to mark the 100th anniversary of American women gaining the right to vote. About half an hour before the scheduled start of Trump’s speech, many of them gathered together, cheering, to take a group photo on the House floor.

Pelosi has shown no sign of budging from her opposition to Trump’s wall-funding demand. That has led Trump to contemplate declaring a national emergency, which he says would let him reallocate funding from elsewhere without congressional action.

A source close to Trump said the president was not expected to use his speech to announce plans for a national emergency, which would draw a swift court challenge from Democrats. Instead he will urge a congressional committee to work out a border security deal by Feb. 15.

In his speech excerpts, Trump was to call attention to his efforts to rewrite trade deals with China and other nations to make the terms more favorable to the United States.

“To build on our incredible economic success, one priority is paramount: reversing decades of calamitous trade policies,” he will say.

He also will call out Iran for threats against Israel.

“We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants Death to America and threatens genocide against the Jewish people,” he will say.

SCHUMER SEES CHAOS

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday criticized Trump over the economy, healthcare and other issues. “The president will say the state of the union is strong but the American people know the state of the Trump administration is chaos,” he said.

In excerpts from the Democratic response, Stacey Abrams, who lost the Georgia governor’s race in November, said the government shutdown was “engineered by the president of the United States, one that defied every tenet of fairness and abandoned not just our people but our values.”

Trump’s speech also will offer areas of potential bipartisan agreement, such as infrastructure improvements, lowering prescription drug costs and healthcare.

Senator Angus King, an independent, told MSNBC that potential for bipartisan action over opioids, HIV and infrastructure could be derailed “if he throws down the gauntlet and gives us another lecture on the wall.”

Trump’s message could also be undermined by his threats to go his own way on the long-promised wall if he cannot get Congress to approve the funding he wants. He has said the wall, which he promised during his 2016 campaign and said Mexico would pay for, is needed to deter illegal immigration and drugs.

Some of Trump’s fellow conservatives have urged him not to declare an emergency. Such a move would “upend” the balance of powers between the White House and Congress, Republican Senator Susan Collins told reporters on Tuesday.

Trump also will address foreign policy, including support for an effort to coax Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro into leaving power and declaring the Islamic State militant group all but defeated. He also will give an update on trade talks with the Chinese.

Asked if he would announce where he will next meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders declined to give any details in a Fox News interview. But Politico reported the summit would occur Feb. 27 and 28 in Vietnam.

Some Democrats have invited guests to the speech to highlight various causes, some at odds with Trump’s policies, making a raucous atmosphere possible inside the House chamber.

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Trump to repeat previous calls to action in State of the Union speech

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Donald Trump will give his annual State of the Union speech on Tuesday, in which he will outline his administration’s priorities for the coming year in front of both congressional chambers and their guests.

Below are excerpts from his speech, as prepared for delivery:

• “The agenda I will lay out this evening is not a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda.  It is the agenda of the American people.”
• “In the 20th century, America saved freedom, transformed science, and redefined the middle class standard of living for the entire world to see.  Now, we must step boldly and bravely into the next chapter of this Great American Adventure, and we must create a new standard of living for the 21st century.”
• “Together, we can break decades of political stalemate. We can bridge old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions, and unlock the extraordinary promise of America’s future.  The decision is ours to make.”
• “Over the last two years, my administration has moved with urgency and historic speed to confront problems neglected by leaders of both parties over many decades.”
• “We have unleashed a revolution in American Energy – the United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world.”
• “After 24 months of rapid progress, our economy is the envy of the world, our military is the most powerful on earth, and America is winning each and every day.”
• “Last year, I heard through friends the story of Alice Johnson. I was deeply moved. In 1997, Alice was sentenced to life in prison as a first-time non-violent drug offender. Over the next two decades, she became a prison minister, inspiring others to choose a better path … Alice’s story underscores the disparities and unfairness that can exist in criminal sentencing – and the need to remedy this injustice.”
• “We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens.”
• “No issue better illustrates the divide between America’s working class and America’s political class than illegal immigration. Wealthy politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives behind walls and gates and guards.”
• “All Americans can be proud that we have more women in the workforce than ever before.”
• “To build on our incredible economic success, one priority is paramount: reversing decades of calamitous trade policies.”
• “Both parties should be able to unite for a great rebuilding of America’s crumbling infrastructure.”
• “It is unacceptable that Americans pay vastly more than people in other countries for the exact same drugs, often made in the exact same place.  This is wrong, unfair, and together we can stop it.”
• “We stand with the Venezuelan people in their noble quest for freedom.”
• “As a candidate for President, I pledged a new approach.  Great nations do not fight endless wars.”
• “We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants Death to America and threatens genocide against the Jewish People.”

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Trump plans to meet North Korea’s Kim in Vietnam on February 27-28

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Donald Trump plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam on February 27 and 28, Politico reported on Tuesday.

Trump disclosed the date in a meeting with television anchors, Politico said. He was expected to announce details of the summit with Kim during his annual State of the Union address to Congress later on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear in which city the meeting would take place.

Trump first met Kim on June 12 in Singapore and has been eager to hold a second summit in spite of a lack of concrete progress in persuading North Korea to give up a nuclear weapons program that threatens the United States.

Communist-ruled Vietnam, which has good relations with both the United States and North Korea, had been widely touted as the most likely venue for the meeting.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Vietnam in July and urged North Korea to follow its example, saying Trump believed Pyongyang could replicate Hanoi’s path to normal relations with Washington and prosperity after its own war with the United States.

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun was due to hold talks in Pyongyang this week to map out what he called “a set of concrete deliverables” for the second meeting.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow