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US-North Korea: Trump and Kim Jong-un in symbolic DMZ meeting US-North Korea: Trump and Kim Jong-un in symbolic DMZ meeting
(about 1 hour later)
Donald Trump has become the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea, after meeting Kim Jong-un in the area between the two Koreas. Donald Trump has become the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea, after meeting Kim Jong-un in the area dividing the two Koreas.
After posing for handshakes, Mr Trump met the North Korean leader for over an hour in the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ). Mr Trump and the North Korean leader posed for handshakes before talking for nearly an hour in the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ).
The two men agreed to set up teams to resume stalled nuclear talks. Both countries agreed to set up teams to resume stalled nuclear talks.
Their last summit broke down in February with no progress on denuclearisation in North Korea.Their last summit broke down in February with no progress on denuclearisation in North Korea.
In their third face-to-face encounter in just over a year, the two leaders met at the tense area that has divided the peninsula since hostilities in the Korea War ended in 1953. Critics have dismissed the occasion - the two leaders' third face-to-face encounter in just over a year - as a political theatre and say that North Korea still needs to show that it is serious to denuclearise.
Numerous previous US presidents have visited the armistice line, largely in a show of US support for the South. But Mr Trump changed the optics of the visit, eschewing binoculars and a bomber jacket for a business suit. What happened at the DMZ?
In a meeting apparently arranged after Mr Trump invited Mr Kim on Twitter on Saturday, they shook hands across the demarcation line before Mr Trump briefly crossed into North Korean territory, a symbolic milestone. In a meeting apparently arranged after Mr Trump invited Mr Kim on Twitter on Saturday, they shook hands across the demarcation line between the Koreas before Mr Trump briefly crossed into North Korea territory, a symbolic milestone.
"Good to see you again. I never expected to meet you at this place," a smiley Mr Kim told Mr Trump through an interpreter in an encounter broadcast live on international television."Good to see you again. I never expected to meet you at this place," a smiley Mr Kim told Mr Trump through an interpreter in an encounter broadcast live on international television.
"Big moment... Tremendous progress," Mr Trump said. "Big moment," Mr Trump said, "tremendous progress."
Mr Kim, looking relaxed, then crossed into South Korea, and alongside Mr Trump said: "I believe this is an expression of his willingness to eliminate all the unfortunate past and open a new future." Looking relaxed, Mr Kim crossed into South Korea and alongside Mr Trump said: "I believe this is an expression of his willingness to eliminate all the unfortunate past and open a new future."
They both walked to a building known as the Freedom House on the South Korean side, where they had private talks. The encounter between Mr Trump and Mr Kim had initially been described as a brief greeting but they both ended up talking for almost an hour in a building known as the Freedom House, on the South Korean side.
Speaking alongside Mr Trump in a rare statement to the press, Mr Kim said this was a symbol of their "excellent" relationship. For a brief moment, Mr Trump and Mr Kim were joined by South Korea's President Moon Jae-in for a brief chat, an unprecedented three-way gathering.
Calling their friendship "particularly great", Mr Trump said it was a "great day for the world" and that he was "proud to step over the line" between the Koreas. He later said he had invited Mr Kim to visit the US. Numerous US presidents have visited the armistice line that has divided the peninsula since hostilities in the Korea War ended in 1953, largely in a show of support for the South.
Can it lead to something? But Mr Trump changed the optics of the visit, eschewing the binoculars and a bomber jacket worn by President Barack Obama for a business suit.
We were told to expect a two-minute handshake and a short meeting, but the two leaders were in there for just over an hour. Donald Trump has made history here. Kim Jong-un has come all the way from Pyongyang to meet him Speaking next to Mr Trump in a rare statement to the press, Mr Kim said their meeting was a symbol of their "excellent" relationship.
This is extraordinary and is being billed as historic. But despite the personal chemistry between Mr Trump and Mr Kim, it does not mean they are any closer to nailing down the details of a deal. Calling their friendship "particularly great", Mr Trump - who once referred to Mr Kim as "little rocket man" - said it was a "great day for the world" and that he was "proud to step over the line" between the Koreas.
Mr Trump told Mr Kim: "I'll invite you to the White House right now." Then came a reciprocal invitation from Mr Kim: "When the time is right, I'd like you to come to Pyongyang." A made-for-TV moment, but to what end?
These invitations allow people to see something is happening between these two leaders. However, unless the details of a deal are decided upon, who knows where we will be a year or two from now. Donald Trump once told his West Wing staff to treat each day in the White House like an episode of reality TV, but he prefers to choreograph his own presidency. The meeting with Mr Kim was classic Trumpian stage management, a diplomatic production that began with an impromptu tweet early morning at the G20 that led to a meeting that ordinarily would have taken months to organise.
The setting in the demilitarised zone could hardly have been loaded with more meaning, and Mr Trump was more than happy to perform one of the most memorable "made-for-television" moments of his presidency, stepping over the 38th parallel into what has long been enemy territory, a threshold no sitting US president has never crossed.
The images were mesmerising, but to what end? Donald Trump's unorthodox diplomacy has certainly reduced tensions on the Korean peninsula, but it has not stopped North Korea from continuing to expand its nuclear arsenal.
This relationship has produced smiles and handshakes but not the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Donald Trump's visit to North Korea lasted just over a minute - more than enough time, his critics will say, to legitimise a totalitarian regime with one of the worst human rights records on the planet.
What to make of the meeting?
Negotiators from the two countries will meet in the next weeks to resume discussions about North Korea's nuclear programme, Mr Trump told reporters, saying he was "not looking for speed [but] looking to get it right."
Sanctions on North Korea, he added, would remain in place though he appeared to leave open the possibility of ease them as part of the talks. Mr Trump also said he had invited Mr Kim to visit Washington.
But critics have raised doubts that the meeting will result in significant gains in North Korea's denuclearisation.
"This whole meme is just another Trump snow-job of flim-flam. Does anyone seriously believe Kim will give up even one warhead [because] Trump is his bud?," said Robert Kelly, professor of political science at Pusan University in South Korea.
Sue Mi Terry, who served as a US National Security Council aide specializing in Korean affairs, said the meeting could result in progress if Mr Trump shows he is willing to accept a partial accord rather than a comprehensive deal.
"I do think Kim could offer just enough on the negotiating table such as the Yongbyon nuclear facility plus yet another suspected nuclear facility in order to secure an interim deal with Trump and at least some sanctions relief," she told the New York Times.
How are US-North Korea relations?How are US-North Korea relations?
Negotiations with North Korea to try to convince it to abandon its controversial nuclear programme, reached a peak last year when Mr Trump and Mr Kim had a historic meeting in Singapore. Negotiations with North Korea to try to convince it to abandon its controversial nuclear programme reached a peak last year when Mr Trump and Mr Kim had a historic meeting in Singapore.
They both committed to the "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula, but without clarifying what that meant.They both committed to the "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula, but without clarifying what that meant.
It was hoped their second meeting, in Hanoi in February, would make some concrete agreement about North Korea handing over its nuclear programme in exchange for some of the tight sanctions against it being lifted.It was hoped their second meeting, in Hanoi in February, would make some concrete agreement about North Korea handing over its nuclear programme in exchange for some of the tight sanctions against it being lifted.
But those talks ended with no deal, as they failed to agree on the pace at which sanctions should be eased. Since then the negotiations have stalled, though Mr Kim and Mr Trump have exchanged letters recently.But those talks ended with no deal, as they failed to agree on the pace at which sanctions should be eased. Since then the negotiations have stalled, though Mr Kim and Mr Trump have exchanged letters recently.