North - South Korea

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Shocking: South Korean Death Camps Uncovered

http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/08/shocking-south-korean-death-camps.html

August 28th, 2016 - Fort Russ News -
- Jason Unruhe & J. Flores


A mass grave of South Korean children was uncovered who were killed at a labor camp facility, euthanized, beaten to death, or worked to death. The bodies were disposed of in shallow graves in the nearby woods in order to hide these crimes against the humanity. Additionally, the bodies of people with physical handicaps, homeless, left-wing and labor activists, and runaway or kidnapped women were also discovered in these mass graves.


https://youtu.be/pcZ69YMeqQs

In 1975, US backed dictator President Park Chung-hee, father of current President Park Geun-hye, issued a directive to police and local officials to 'purify' city streets of vagrants.

Police officers, assisted by shop owners, rounded up panhandlers, small-time street merchants selling gum and trinkets, the disabled, lost or unattended children, and dissidents, including a college student who'd been holding anti-government leaflets.

They ended up as prisoners at 36 nationwide facilities. By 1986, the number of inmates had jumped over five years from 8,600 to more than 16,000, according to government documents obtained by AP.

Nearly 4,000 were at Brothers. But about 90 percent of them didn't even meet the government's definition of 'vagrant' and therefore shouldn't have been confined there, former prosecutor Kim Yong Won told the AP, based on Brothers' records and interviews compiled before government officials ended his investigation.

Left-wing vlogger Jason Unruhe reported on the AP findings on his youtube channel earlier in the week. He pointed out the hypocrisy and pattern of misreporting on the subject of Korea - in the western mind, it is North Korea which is known for its 'dictatorship' and alleged death camps, few if any of which have been actually confirmed. The vast majority of North Koreans who 'escape' to South Korea either wind up homeless or marginalized, and attempt to repatriate to North Korea where conditions are better.

An AP investigation has uncovered crimes against humanity on a mass scale at a former institution called 'Brothers', where homeless children and orphans were beaten and forced into labor for a private company.

The investigation goes as far back as the Olympics in South Korea in 1988. The Associated Press was able to verify a great deal of the facts through government documents which have since been released. One police officer who did carry out a raid was quoted as saying "i remember thinking, this isn't a welfare facility. It's a concentration camp. People lay coughing and moaning in a squalid sick ward, just wanting to die."

No one has been yet held accountable for these crimes against children. Previous investigations have been attempted, but these were stopped by government officials. Two early attempts to investigate were suppressed by senior officials who went on to high profile jobs, who remaining a senior adviser to the current ruling party.

Local officials needed somewhere to put the 'vagrants' they were charged with corralling, so each year they renewed a contract with 'Brothers' that required an inspection of how the inmates were treated and how the facility was financially managed. There have been countless thousands of traumatized children, none of whom have been able to find justice.

The 'Brothers' facility was just one in a network, which all together enslaved upwards of 16,000 people, many of whom were killed or worked to death. This figure does not include people imprisoned in regular facilities or murdered by state sanctioned death squads during the US backed Park dictatorship.

Children were raped daily for years, forced to pick maggots out of open wounds and watch inmates being tortured and stamped to death at this 'evil' South Korean labour camp.

This children's and homeless people's prison labor camp turned tremendous profits for the individuals involved. Products made using slave labor at Brothers and similar facilities were sent around the world, to Europe, Japan and beyond, and the family that owned the institution continued to run welfare facilities and schools until just two years ago.
 
There is very little information about this subject. I look about The Brothers association and there is this in Wikipedia:

Brothers Home (Korean: 형제복지원) was an internment camp located in Busan, South Korea during the 1970s and 80s. During its operation, it held thousands of people who were illegally rounded up off of the street, including children, the homeless, and even a college student who was protesting the regime. The camp was home to some of the worst human rights abuses in South Korea during the period, which were exposed in an Associated Press article in 2016.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_Home
 
Here is a link to the original AP story: http://bigstory.ap.org/c22de3a565fe4e85a0508bbbd72c3c1b

article said:
The owner of Brothers, Park, received two state medals for social welfare achievements and sat on a government advisory panel. His version of his story even inspired a 1985 television drama about a man's heroic devotion to caring for what were called "bottom-life people."

Park eventually served a short prison stint for embezzlement and other relatively minor charges, but not for the abuse at Brothers. When the facility was at last raided in 1987, investigators found a vault in Park's office filled with the current equivalent of about $5 million in U.S. and Japanese currencies and certificates of deposit.

This makes me cry. So evil. The family (Park) and other persons, save for 2 guards who got brief sentences, connected to these horrific facilities are not being held accountable for their crimes.
 
Here is an important background to this story:

A history of the Koreas - The dangerous tone of US media

https://www.sott.net/article/317618-A-history-of-the-Koreas-The-dangerous-tone-of-US-media

Caleb Maupin
New Eastern Outlook
Tue, 03 May 2016

Often, when people are first becoming personally acquainted with me and my political views, I will be asked point-blank: "Do you support North Korea?" I always respond, "No, I don't support North Korea. I support all of Korea."

Among average Americans and even many who consider themselves activists and leftists, there is a great deal of confusion about issues involving the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and its history. Each time there is an escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the level of confusion seems to get worse. The US media makes no effort to educate the public about why Korea is divided — and often blatantly distorts and lies about it.


Why is Korea Divided?

Prior to the Second World War, the Korean Peninsula was occupied by Japan, which carried out horrendous atrocities against the Korean people. Korean women were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.

When Korean pacifist Christians went out to protest against Japan in March of 1919, over 7,000 of them were killed. The Japanese military retaliated against nonviolent acts of civil disobedience by randomly setting schools on fire and causing hundreds of random Korean children, who had nothing to do with the protests, to die in the flames. Tens of thousands of Koreans were rounded up and tortured by the Japanese on the mere suspicion of involvement in the pacifist, anti-Japanese protest movement.

After the failure of peaceful, nonviolent struggles, Koreans took up arms against the Japanese occupiers. In the 1920s and 30s, Kim Il Sung and others received military and political training from the Soviet Union. The Chinese Communist Party and the Korean Communist Party often closely cooperated in their activities. Armed Korean and Chinese Communists received a lot of guns and money from the Soviet Union as they fought for basic democratic rights against Japanese occupiers.

When the Second World War ended in 1945, the northern half of the Korean Peninsula had been liberated by Soviet troops. The southern half of the Korean Peninsula soon became occupied by US troops. In the northern part of the country, the major anti-Japanese resistance political parties — including communists, Social Democrats, agrarian revolutionaries, Christians, and many others — merged in 1948 to form the Korean Workers Party.

The understanding at the war's conclusion was that there would be a nationwide election, in which every political party, including the very popular Korean Workers Party, would be allowed to participate in writing a new constitution.

However, in the southern half of the Peninsula, a military dictatorship was established. Syngman Rhee seized power and violently suppressed all opposition. The Rhee dictatorship was openly supported by the United States. Thousands of US troops poured into the country to prop up the military regime.

When democratic and labor activists living on Jeju Island rose up against Syngman Rhee to demand the free elections promised at the end of the war, US troops joined Rhee's forces in slaughtering thousands of innocent civilians. Thirty thousand people — roughly one out of every ten people living on Jeju Island — were killed in the aftermath of the uprising.

In response to US military occupation of the southern half of Korea, the canceling of free elections, and the slaughter of innocent Korean civilians by US troops, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) based in the northern territories of the peninsula, sent forces into the south, hoping to reunify the country and drive out US troops.

The response to the attempted reunification was the horrific United Nations "police action," more commonly known as the Korean War. The United States bombed every building above one story tall in the northern half of the country. Dams were bombed in order to cause mass flooding of civilian areas. Between 3 and 4 million Koreans were killed.

An armistice was declared in 1953 — but the United States never signed a peace treaty, as was agreed upon. The Korean War technically never ended, and the United States has not even recognized the DPRK as a legitimate government.

"Democracy" in Southern Korea?

During the majority of the years between 1945 and today, the southern half of the Korean Peninsula has been ruled by unapologetic military dictators. Syngman Rhee and Park Chung Hee made no pretense of being democratic. They were violent, repressive military autocrats who were fully supported by the United States. Tens of thousands of US troops have been in southern Korea since the end of the Second World War, and often the US troops were used to violently suppress democratic uprisings against the Rhee and Park dictatorships.

After a series of student uprisings, labor protests, and other upsurges among the population, in the 1980s Korea transitioned toward a less repressive government. However, even today the government in southern Korea is hardly a poster child for "human rights."

The Unified Progressive Party, the only genuine opposition party in southern Korea, was forcibly broken up by the government in 2013. Five candidates from the Unified Progressive Party, who had won seats in the government, were not permitted to take office.

The leader of the party, Lee Seok-ki, was sent to prison for 12 years. Her conviction was based on a tape-recorded hypothetical conversation about what to do in the event of war between the United States and the DPRK.

A Korean youth named Park Jung-geun was sent to prison for 10 months in 2012, simply for re-tweeting the statements of the DPRK on social media. Park included sarcastic, anti-communist comments, and was clearly not a supporter of his northern countryfolk. He was still imprisoned.

The National Security Laws in the southern part of the Korean peninsula violate any notion of "human rights" and "free speech." In southern Korea, making any statement in support of the DPRK, or even vaguely in support of Marxism or socialism, is a very serious crime. Koreans live in fear of openly speaking about the history of their country, the continued presence of US troops, or commonly discussed political concepts like class struggle. Saying anything that could in any way be construed as positive about their northern countryfolk could very well mean being imprisoned or tortured under Korean law.

The current president of the "Republic of Korea" in the southern regions of the country is Park Geun-hye. She is the daughter of the previously mentioned military dictator Park Chung Hee. Park is not only responsible for the death of tens of thousands of innocent people; he routinely employed methods of torture, collective punishment, retaliation against family members, and other extreme violations of human rights.

Park Guen-hye makes no attempt to distance herself from her father or any of his autocratic practices and well documented crimes against humanity. She describes her father's coup d'état — in which he deposed the elected government with violence and established a brutal military dictatorship — as a "revolution to save the country" from communism.

Despite so much ugly repression, US media routinely calls the "Republic of Korea" in the south "democratic."

Conditions in the North

During the 1960s, 70s, and even the early 80s, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in the northern parts of the country, had a very strong economy.

This fact will of course be automatically dismissed as outrageous propaganda by the average American, but it is confirmed by the BBC.

An article from BBC's website proclaims: "At one time, North Korea's centrally planned economy seemed to work well — indeed, in the initial years after the creation of North Korea following World War II, with spectacular results."

"The mass mobilisation of the population, along with Soviet and Chinese technical assistance and financial aid, resulted in annual economic growth rates estimated to have reached 20%, even 30%, in the years following the devastating 1950-53 Korean war."

"As late as the 1970s, South Korea languished in the shadow of the 'economic miracle' north of the border."

The DPRK's crisis of malnutrition during the 1990s was the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The agrarian parts of the Korean Peninsula are all in the south, while the north is very mountainous. Without oil from the Soviet Union, it became very hard for the DPRK's agricultural system to function. Sanctions from the United States made it nearly impossible for the DPRK to purchase things on the international markets, and as a result, there was mass starvation.

The North Korean famine, which together with the accompanying general economic crisis are known as the Arduous March in North Korea, occurred in North Korea from 1994 to 1998. The famine stemmed from a variety of factors.

Koreans refer to this period of mass starvation in the 1990s as the "Arduous March" and they blame the United States' economic and military blockade of their country for it. The conditions in the northern regions of the Korean peninsula were very bad during the 1990s, and any other government would have most likely collapsed under such pressure.

The DPRK has been able to slowly recover from these disastrous years. The DPRK now trades with Russia, Iran, Venezuela, China, and other countries. The DPRK's agricultural system has been revamped, and the country has now been able to allocate money toward the construction of new housing units and other infrastructure for the population.

Defense spending remains a top priority in the DPRK, and almost every Korean above the age of 18 is somehow involved in the military. Those who criticize the DPRK for this forget that this is a country which is literally at war with the United States. Tens of thousands of US troops are lined up along its borders. The US military routinely rehearses dropping atomic bombs on the DPRK, and US Army General Douglas MacArthur publicly threatened to do this during the Korean War.

Koreans in the north generally feel that the proliferation of nuclear weapons has enabled them to be much more secure as a country. Now that the DPRK has the atomic bomb, the United States is far less likely to attack or invade and carry out the "regime change" it often discusses.

Critiques of the DPRK in relation to the topic of "human rights" often completely ignore the context and history of Korea. Between 3 and 4 million Koreans died in the Korean War, with no peace treaty ever signed. A similarly large amount died during the 1990s as a result of malnutrition, imposed on the country by the United States. The people of the DPRK are fighting for their very lives against the most powerful and well armed government in the world. Millions of Korean lives have already been claimed by the United States.

No country, facing such extreme threats and encirclement, can be expected to be a free, open society full of debate and discussion. The DPRK is locked down, in a state of war, fighting for its survival. No sensible person would claim it is a paradise, or an ideal model for human civilization. Under extremely hostile circumstances, the DPRK survives — primarily because of the political brilliance of the Korean Workers Party and its overall ability to mobilize and maintain the loyalty of the population.

Often the US media portrays the DPRK's leadership as vulgar nationalists or "supremacists." Those who fall for US media claims that the DPRK is somehow "racist" should note that the DPRK has a record of international solidarity with oppressed peoples around the world.

The DPRK was very supportive of the US Black Panther Party during the 1970s. The DPRK has come to the aid of the Palestinians.

The DPRK also supported the people of Zimbabwe as they fought against the British Empire and the apartheid settler state called "Rhodesia." The DPRK supported the people of Angola in fighting against Portuguese colonialism. The DPRK even gave military support to Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress, while the US described them as "terrorists."

Anti-Asian Racism and War Propaganda

Hatred for the DPRK seems to be almost compulsive in the United States. US media routinely repeats outrageous anti-DPRK allegations that have no basis in fact.

US media has claimed that women in the DPRK are forbidden to ride bicycles. This claim is easily refuted. Women in the DPRK not only ride bicycles, but have won Gold Medals in Olympic sports such as target shooting and weightlifting.

Without the slightest hesitation, US media repeated the claim that a prominent DPRK official was executed by "being eaten by a pack of wild dogs." This outrageous story was proven to have originated in a satirical publication in China, and was never even intended to be true.

Hollywood churns out films like Red Dawn, Olympus Has Fallen and The Interview, all of which are dedicated to demonizing the DPRK, dehumanizing its population, and psychologically preparing the US public for war. The amount of extreme distortion associated with everything related to the situation on the Korean Peninsula should be very shocking and upsetting to any sensible person.

Many Asian Americans say the manner in which the DPRK is portrayed in US media should be offensive, not just to Koreans, but to all Asians. The anti-DPRK Hollywood film The Interview, which caused international tensions, involved extensive mockery of the Korean accent by white male actors. Furthermore, the film notably portrayed Korean women — who were forced into sexual slavery by Japan, and often raped by US troops during the Korean War — as mere sex objects, with white male characters crassly commenting on their bodies.

The extensive mockery of accents, clothing styles and other things in relation to the DPRK all fits into an archaic racist concept commonly called "Asiatic despotism." At one time, the US and western European press portrayed Chinese, Vietnamese, and even Russian leaders in roughly the same way.

The racist underlying message hinted at in the endless slander and mockery of Korea's leadership is that the peoples of Asian descent are barbaric savages, who naturally long for autocracy, and need whites to forcibly "civilize" them and teach them about "democracy." While the extreme demonization of the DPRK's leaders is the most blatant example, the old racist caricature of "Asiatic despots" and "Mongoloid tyrants" is gradually reemerging in relation to Xi Jinping in China and Vladimir Putin in Russia.

For the last five decades, the DPRK has called for peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. The leaders of the Korean Workers Party currently ask for nothing more than what was agreed upon at the end of the Second World War. They want nationwide elections in which every party, including the communists, can participate. They also want US troops to leave.

This is hardly a radical or extreme proposal. The request of the DPRK is essentially: "Let Koreans run Korea." There is nothing "extreme," "crazy," or "insane" about it.

Koreans are people — just like Americans, Western Europeans, Russians, Iranians, Chinese, or others. However, the Koreans are a people that have been subjected to almost a century of division, degradation and extreme humiliation by foreign powers.

The people of the Korean Peninsula, both in the north and the south, deserve our support and respect, not further demonization and mockery. The US media's use of such extreme deception and racism in its portrayal of the situation on the Korean Peninsula should be a source of global outrage.

On June 27, 2003, an International War Crimes Tribunal in New York unanimously found the U.S. government and military guilty of 19 counts of war crimes committed against Korea from 1945 until 2001.

Just from June 25, 1950, until July 27, 1953, 4.6 million Koreans perished, according to conservative Western estimates, including 3 million civilians in the north and 500,000 civilians in the south.

No one has been held accountable though.
 
10.06.2018 - Kim Jong-un Departs for Singapore Summit - Reports
Kim Jong-un Departs for Singapore Summit - Reports

According to the Yonhap News Agency, an Air China airplane was detected departing from the airport in Pyongyang at 08:30 a.m. local time.

Kim Jong-un has boarded a Chinese private Boeing 747 jet commonly used by high-ranking Chinese officials, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing sources.

The popular plane tracking online source Flightradar24, however, reportedly did not specify the destination of the aircraft. The website has also not detected any other flights departing from North Korea. According to Yonhap, many government chartered planes are known to keep their routes secret due to security issues.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has also departed for Singapore, where he is expected to meet with the North Korean leader on Tuesday, the White House said on Saturday. Trump took off from Canada on Saturday, after participating in the Group of Seven (G7) summit, and is expected to arrive in Singapore on Sunday.

According to Japan’s Kyodo News agency, citing a diplomatic source, the North Korean leader will arrive in Singapore on Sunday

Earlier, a South Korean Air Force official told the South China Morning Post that Chinese fighter jets would secure Kim's flight route to the historic meeting.

The US - North Korea Summit will mark the first-ever meeting of the leaders of the two countries. The highly-anticipated talks were put at risk following Trump's May 24 declaration that he was canceling the meeting with Kim over Pyongyang's hostile rhetoric. Last week, however, Trump reinstated the summit after meeting with Kim's top aide, Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol, at the White House.


09.06.2018 - Make N Korea Great Again: Trump Says Kim Can Truly Make His Country Great
Make N Korea Great Again: Trump Says Kim Can Truly Make His Country Great

US President Donald Trump has assessed highly North Korea's efforts to prepare for the upcoming US-North Korea summit.

We appreciate everything what is going on. We appreciate working together with North Korea. They are really working very well with us," Trump told reporters at a press conference in Quebec, adding that he was looking forward for the meeting.

Trump further noted that his upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un in Singapore as a "mission of peace."

"This is unknown territory in the truest sense. But I feel really confident," Trump told reporters. "It's never been done, It's never been tested. So we are going in with a really positive spirit."

At the same time, the US president thinks that Kim Jong-un can make North Korea great. Trump noted that he would know "within a minute" whether Kim was serious about giving up weapons.

"I think within the first minute I'll know. Just my touch, my feel. That's what I do," Trump told reporters at a news conference at the G7 summit in Quebec. "And if I think it won't happen — I'm not going to waste my time. I don't want to waste his time."

The highly-anticipated meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is scheduled for next Tuesday.


09.06.2018 - Lavrov: US-N Korea Talks to Address Issue of Peace Deal Between Seoul, Pyongyang
Lavrov: US-N Korea Talks to Address Issue of Peace Deal Between Seoul, Pyongyang

The upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will address the issue of a peace treaty between Seoul and Pyongyang, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.

"They will discuss, among other issues, a peace treaty, so everything is developing in the line with the Russian-Chinese road map," Lavrov told reporters.

The Russian foreign minister stressed that denuclearization should not be the only goal of the talks.

"At the final stage, the sides should not only reach an agreement on the peace on the Korean Peninsula and its denuclearization but on establishing peace and stability in the Northeastern Asia in general. This is exactly what has been announced by the parties to the negotiations, which are the two Koreas and the United States," Lavrov stressed.

On June 12, Trump and Kim are expected to meet in Singapore. The meeting has become possible as result of the improving relations between Seoul and Pyongyang. In January, Kim decided to initiate talks with the South Korean side amid the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The relations further improved in April, when Kim met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the truce village of Panmunjom at the border between the two Koreas. The two leaders agreed to rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons and sign a peace agreement sometime this year.


06.06.2018 - 'Unprecedented Steps': Putin Hopes for Positive Outcome of US-North Korea Summit
'Unprecedented Steps': Putin Hopes for Positive Outcome of US-North Korea Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the decision of US President Donald Trump to meet with the North Korean leader a wise decision and expressed hope that the meeting will have a positive result.

"US President Trump took a strong and mature decision to enter into direct dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and I hope that this meeting will take place, and all of us expect positive results," Putin suggested in an interview with the China Media Group, published on its website.

However, North Korea's steps on easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula were unexpected, but the security guarantees were yet unclear, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Honestly, we see that North Korean leadership takes unexpected, even unprecedented steps to ease tensions," Putin said in an interview with the China Media Group.

Vladimir Putin also noted that he understood the North Korean leadership's security assurances, but their nature was not clear.

I can understand the North Korean leadership when it says about absolute security guarantees for a full denuclearization… It is difficult to say now what kind of guarantees might it be, as well as the terms of their implementation," Putin added.

Russian President is set to visit China on June 8-10. During his visit he is expected to hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and take part in the summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states.


27.05.2018 - China Supports US-North Korea Summit Amid Resumption of Preparations
China Supports US-North Korean Summit Amid Resumption of Preparations

China strongly supports the upcoming summit between the United States and North Korea and hopes that the event will yield positive results amid the on-and-off plans to hold it, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Sunday, as quoted by the Xinhua news agency.

"China unwaveringly supports the hosting of the North-US summit … We hope both the North and the United States show patience and good faith to focus on resolving concerns and carry out the process to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula," Lu stated.

Beijing believes that the real-life dialogue between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is "the key" to the settlement of the nuclear crisis, the spokesman added.
 
10.06.2018 - Singapore to Spend Around $20Mln on Kim-Trump Summit - Prime Minister
Singapore to Spend Around $20Mln on Kim-Trump Summit - Prime Minister

Singapore will spend an estimated $20 million for security and other expenses incurred by a historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the island nation's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.

If you ask me how much this will come to… I would say plus or minus around $20 million," Lee told reporters. "We may be able to recoup a little bit of that, but i think it is a cost which we are willing to pay and it's our contribution to an international endeavor that's in our profound national interest."

Lee said the money would be used to maintain enhanced security and communications during the summit.

Despite the hefty costs, Lee said the summit would boost Singapore's status on the international stage.

"It gives us publicity. The fact that we have been chosen as the site of the meeting — we did not ask for it, but we were asked and we agreed — says something about Singapore's relations with the parties, with America, with North Korea, also our standing in the international community," he said.


10.06.2018 - Singapore Police Tighten Security Ahead of Trump-Kim Summit
Singapore Police Tighten Security Ahead of Trump-Kim Summit

Police in Singapore closed roads and ratcheted up security measures as the island nation prepared to host a historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"In support of the DPRK-USA Singapore Summit, road closures will be effected along roads in the vicinity of Changi Airport towards Tanglin Road," the Singapore Police Force said in a statement.

Concrete barriers and security checkpoints were erected at various locations on Sentosa island, including the summit venue at the Capella Hotel, and the Shangri-la Hotel, where Trump is expected to stay

Singapore's Ministry for Home Affairs has declared the summit an "Enhanced Security Special Event" under the country's Public Order Act.

Singapore has received no intelligence of potential threats to security amid a high-profile summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Singaporean Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam told Sputnik.


10.06.2018 - Kim Jong-un Arrived for Singapore Summit (Video - Photos)
Kim Jong-un Arrived for Singapore Summit (PHOTO, VIDEO)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Singapore ahead of a historic summit with US President Donald Trump.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday welcomed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to his country ahead of a highly anticipated summit with US President Donald Trump.

The two leaders shared a historic handshake in front of reporters before retreating to private quarters for one-on-one talks.

"Prime Minister Lee welcomed Chairman Kim to Singapore. Prime Minister Lee and Chairman Kim discussed Singapore-DPRK relations, developments in the DPRK and regional developments, including the recent positive developments on the Korean Peninsula," the statement issued by the Singaporean Foreign Ministry following the talks said.

According to the statement, the Singaporean prime minister noted the "bold and admirable" decision of the US and North Korean leaders to organize a bilateral summit and expressed his hope that the event will contribute to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.


10.06.2018 - Trump Arrives in Singapore for Talks With North Korea's Kim
Trump Arrives in Singapore for Talks With North Korea's Kim

US President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday ahead of a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Trump arrived aboard Air Force One at Paya Lebar Airbase at around 8:30 p.m. local time (12:30 GMT) and is expected to meet with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long on Monday, the Singaporean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Trump and Kim will meet on Tuesday at 9 a.m. for talks on denuclearization at the Capella hotel on Sentosa island.


10.06.2018 - North Korea summit: President Trump arrives in Singapore for historic talks (CBS Video - 7:35 min.)
North Korea summit: President Trump arrives in Singapore for historic talks

Mr. Trump landed at 8:21 p.m. local time at the Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore before making his way to the Shangri-La Hotel. Kim arrived earlier Sunday. After departing Air Force One, Mr. Trump shook hands with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and the entire Singapore delegation on the tarmac. When asked by reporters how he felt about the summit, Mr. Trump replied, "very good."


10.06.2018 - US, North Korean Representatives to Meet in Singapore on Monday - White House
US, North Korean Representatives to Meet in Singapore on Monday – White House

Representatives of the United States and North Korea will hold a meeting on Monday in Singapore ahead of the historic talks between the US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which are scheduled for Tuesday, the White House said Sunday.

“Tomorrow morning [on Monday], at 10 a.m. local Singapore time [02:00 GMT], [US] Ambassador [to the Philippines] Sung Kim will lead a U.S. delegation for a working group [meeting] with a North Korean delegation at the Ritz Carlton,” the White House said.

On Monday, Trump is expected to meet with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long, who had already held talks with Kim upon latter’s arrival.


10.06.2018 - S. Korean President Dispatches Aide to Trump-Kim Talks in Singapore - Reports
S. Korean President Dispatches Aide to Trump-Kim Talks in Singapore - Reports

The administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent Nam Gwan-pyo, the deputy director of the presidential National Security Office, and other senior officials to Singapore ahead of the historic summit between the United States and North Korea, Korea Herald newspaper reported.

It was highly unlikely that Moon would travel to Singapore to join the talks, the newspaper reported, citing a South Korean presidential administration official speaking on the conditions of anonymity. The official told reporters that Seoul was "praying for the success of the US-North Korea summit."

"While watching the situation closely, we will maintain close coordination [with officials holding the US-North Korea summit]," Nam Gwan-pyo told reporters before boarding a Singapore-bound plane on Sunday, as quoted by the outlet.

South Korean officials were engaged as mediators in the talks between Washington and Pyongyang devoted to the preparations for the long-anticipated talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.


11.06.2018 - Trump-Kim Summit Agenda: Firm Peace, Korean Denuclearization - Reports
Trump-Kim Summit Agenda: Firm Peace, Korean Denuclearization - Reports

According to Reuters, the DPRK's Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump will discuss a "permanent and durable peace-keeping mechanism" on the Korean Peninsula, as well as denuclearization.

According to Bloomberg, Trump will attempt to conduct a one-on-one meeting with the North Korean leader at the beginning of the historic summit. According to the media outlet, citing sources, the US president has asserted that this would be a crucial moment of whether a deal with Pyongyang is likely.

Kim Jong-un is reportedly accompanied by his foreign minister Ri Yong Ho, defense minister No Kwang Chol and sister Kim Yo Jong.

According to South Korean media reports, the South Korean President Moon Jae-in has dispatched his senior officials to Singapore in a bid to aid the upcoming summit.
 
According to the South Korean media outlet, ahead of a historic summit in Singapore North Korean leader has invited US President Donald Trump to Pyongyang for the second round of summit in July.

11.06.2018 - Kim Jong-un Invites Trump to Pyongyang for Second Round of Summit - Reports
Kim Jong-un Invites Trump to Pyongyang for Second Round of Summit - Reports

The invitation to Pyongyang contained in the letter, which was handed by Kim Jong-un's top aide Kim Yong Chol to the US President Trump on June 1, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, citing its sources privy to the matter.

In turn, North Korean state media reported on Monday that the upcoming US-North Korean talks would focus on the establishment of the new relations between the countries, the creation of a firm peace system and the denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.

According to Kyodo news agency, depending on the outcome of the negotiations in Singapore and possible summit in Pyongyang, a third round of talks may take place in Washington in September.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that Washington remained committed to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Early pre-brief with my @StateDept team. [US] Amb[assador to the Philippines Sung] Kim meets with #DPRK [delegation] today. We remain committed to the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Pompeo wrote on Twitter.

The meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to kick-off at 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday. The historic event is precede by the meeting of delegations of the United States and North Korea on Monday.
 
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Sen. Lindsey Graham Calls for War in Korea if Kim Doesn’t Agree to Complete Denuclearization
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/sen-lindsey-graham-calls-war-korea-if-kim-doesnt-agree-complete
June 10, 2018 | 6:28 PM EDT
(CNSNews.com) -
Sen. Lindsey Graham said on ABC News’s “This Week” today that the United States should go to war against North Korea if North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un does not agree to eliminate North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

“There’s really only two options: peace or war,” Graham said.

Graham indicated that he has already prepared an Authorization for the Use of Military Force that would authorize the president to go to war against North Korea if they do not give up their nuclear program and that he is hoping Senate Democrats will join him in backing that AUMF if President Trump’s efforts to negotiate an end to North Korea’s program fail.

“But here is what I would say to my Democratic colleagues: I appreciate you telling the president what a good deal would look like, but the country needs you to back the president up to get that deal,” said Graham.

“So, here’s the question for my Democratic colleagues: If diplomacy fails, will you support my efforts to authorize the use of military force as a last resort to convince North Korea and China things are going to be different this time,” said Graham. “A bipartisan AUMF would really make that letter much more credible. And if diplomacy fails, as a last resort, Democrats and Republicans need to put the military option on the table or we will never get a good deal.”

Here is the full transcript of Graham’s exchange with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in which Graham explains his call for the use of military force in North Korea if North Korea does not agree to complete nuclear disarmament:

Stephanopoulos: “I know you’ve spoken to the president several times about this summit. What’s your counsel? Is he ready? Does he know what he wants to get out of this meeting?"

Graham: “Yeah, I think he is very much ready. I think what he is going to convey to North Korea is he wants a peaceful resolution to the nuclear threat as well as to end the Korean War. But the goal is to eliminate their nuclear missile program, not contain it. Do it in a win-win fashion. There’s three outcomes here: Peace, where we have a win-win solution. Military force, where we devastate the North Korean regime and stop their program by force. Or to capitulate like we have done in the past, and Donald Trump is not going to capitulate. So, there’s really only two options: peace or war."

Stephanopoulos: "And, as you know, several of your Democratic colleagues in the Senate have sent the president a letter designed, I guess, to stiffen his spine. Very tough letter, saying that the outcome has to be complete denuclearization. No more testing, weapons dismantled. Here is what they write: ‘Any deal that explicitly or implicitly gives North Korea sanctions relief for anything other than verifiable performance of its obligation to dismantle its nuclear and missile arsenal is a bad deal.’ Do you agree?"

Graham: "A hundred percent. And I think they will be getting a call from the president. I wish they had sent such a deal—letter—to Barack Obama regarding the Iranian nuclear efforts. But I embrace this letter. It is a very tough thing to accomplish. But here is what I would say to my Democratic colleagues: I appreciate you telling the president what a good deal would look like, but the country needs you to back the president up to get that deal. So, here’s the question for my Democratic colleagues: If diplomacy fails, will you support my efforts to authorize the use of military force as a last resort to convince North Korea and China things are going to be different this time. A bipartisan AUMF would really make that letter much more credible. And if diplomacy fails, as a last resort, Democrats and Republicans need to put the military option on the table or we will never get a good deal."


Stephanopoulos: "So, if you’re ready to move forward on that what would you need to see on Tuesday to prevent you from moving forward to that use of force authorization?"​

Graham: "We’ll know diplomatic failure when we see it. I don’t expect a deal next Tuesday. I expect a process to be started next Tuesday. Here is what I expect: North Korea will try to run out the clock. It is not if they have to give up their nuclear missile program, it is how and when. The how is a win-win peace agreement where they get security in return for giving up their program when. I think the president wants this to come to an end in his first term. They understand electoral politics in North Korea of the United States. They always try to run out a president in terms of the time on his watch. That’s not going to happen here. So, we’ll find out in about a year if this is going to work, and I have an AUMF already drafted. I hope I never have to use it. But if you want to convince North Korea and China that things are different with Trump, then the Congress needs to have his back."

Stephanopoulos: "But, Senator Graham, as you know, the top expert in the United States on the North Korean nuclear weapons program says it’s going to take 15 years to fully dismantle that North Korean program."​

Graham: "Yeah, what I am saying here is that you’ll have a deal one way or another in his first term that can be implemented in a way that we all believe. I don’t know how long it took them to get where they are at. I don’t think fifteen years is on the table, but I don’t expect it to be done in one year. But, what I do expect to be done in a year from now is an agreement that does dismantle their nuclear weapons programs, their missiles, removes all plutonium and uranium, anytime, anywhere inspections. And we’re not going to let them run out the clock again. They talk about giving up, but they end up building up. It’s as old as time itself as to what North Korea does. They promise a bunch of things and then they back out. Trump is going to call the question on North Korea while he is president of the United States. He’s not going to pass this on to the next president of the United States. There is no reason they can’t give up their nuclear weapons program within fifteen years.”

Fox News Published on Jun 10, 2018 / 4:05
President Trump downplays expectations for nuclear summit with North Korea's leader; chief White House correspondent John Roberts reports from Singapore.
 
11.06.2018 - South Korea, US Presidents Hold Phone Talks Ahead of Trump-Kim Summit - Reports
South Korean, US Presidents Hold Phone Talks Ahead of Trump-Kim Summit – Reports

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has held a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Donald Trump ahead of a much-anticipated summit of the latter with the North Korean leader, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Moon’s presidential office.

During the negotiations, Trump and Kim are expected to discuss North Korea’s denuclearization and the possibility of establishing bilateral diplomatic relations, among other issues.

South Korean officials were engaged as mediators in the talks between Washington and Pyongyang devoted to the preparations for the long-anticipated talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.


11.06.2018 - Singapore's PM Says Kim 'Wants to Go Onto New Path' Meeting With Trump
Singapore's PM Says Kim ‘Wants to Go Onto New Path’ Meeting With Trump

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ‘wants to go onto a new path’ by meeting with US President Donald Trump.

"He is a confident, young leader. He came and he said ‘thank you for hosting and we hope that will be a historic occasion.’ I think he wants to go onto a new path. What he is prepared to deal and how an agreement can be worked out, that is a complicated matter. But I think he has an intention to do something, and that is why he is meeting Donald Trump," Lee said in an interview with US journalist Christiane Amanpour.

On Sunday, the Singaporean prime minister met with Kim following latter’s arrival in the country for the upcoming talks with Trump, scheduled for Tuesday.


11.06.2018 - Guterres: UN Ready to Play Verification Role in N Korea Denuclearization Process
Guterres: UN Ready to Play Verification Role in N Korea Denuclearization Process

The United Nations (UN) is ready to play a verification role in the process to denuclearize the Korean peninsula upon the request of interested parties, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a press release on Monday.

"Relevant parts of the United Nations system stand ready to support this process in any way, including verification if requested by the key parties," Guterres said ahead of Tuesday’s historic meeting in Singapore between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The UN chief said the International Atomic Energy Agency plays a critical role in verification and has a mandate to apply safeguards on all nuclear material used for peaceful purposes as well as material removed from military programs.

Guterres also said he hopes Trump and Kim seek a breakthrough and avoid the rhetoric that alarmed the world in recent months. The Singapore summit, he added, could be a promising development towards global peace and security.

In addition, Guterres underscored the importance of the diplomatic process in denuclearization and encouraged the international community to support the North Korean people.
 
12.06.2018 - Historic Trump-Kim Summit Begins in Singapore
Historic Trump-Kim Summit Begins in Singapore

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shook hands with each other for the first time, before kicking off negotiations aiming to bring complete denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.

Trump and Kim are expected to first engage in a one-on-one meeting, with translators only, before expanding to a bilateral meeting and a working lunch. US officials expected to take part in the expanded bilateral meeting will include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chief of Staff John Kelly, and National Security Advisor John Bolton. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, Ambassador Sung Kim, and National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Matt Pottinger will join for the working lunch.

In in his first comments alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong-un US President Donald Trump said that their summit will bring a "tremendous success."

"We are going to have a great discussion. It's gonna be a tremendous success. We will have a terrific relation," Trump told reporters after greeting Kim at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island.

The North Korean leader said that the meeting became possible as parties overcame obstacles on the way forward.

"The way to come here was not easy. The past falters in our names and the old prejudices and practices work as obstacles on our way forward. But we overcame all of them," Kim stated.

"That’s true," Trump said in response.

Later, Donald Trump called his historic bilateral meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un very useful adding that they will help to solve "big problem."

"We will solve a big problem, a big dilemma," Trump said after the meeting with Kim adding that the meeting was "very, very good."

The meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un lasted for about 45 minutes as it was initially planned. After the one-on-one meeting concluded the parties moved on to the summit in an expanded format.

The US delegation includes State Secretary Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. The North Korean delegation, in turn, comprises Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the ruling Workers’ Party, and Ri Su Yong, the Workers’ Party's top official for international affairs.

Meanwhile, local media reported that North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un said following one-on-one meeting with US President Donald Trump in Singapore that he was interested in developing close cooperation with the US president.

According to The Straits Times newspaper, Kim is willing to work closely together with Trump even despite the possible difficulties and obstacles.

Also, journalists, present at the meeting, reported Trump Saying that he has "great relationship" with Kim Jong-un.
(Article continues.)


11.06.2018 - Trump Adviser Larry Kudlow Suffers Heart Attack, President Tweets On Way to Kim Jong Un Meeting
Larry Kudlow, Trump's top economic adviser, has suffered a heart attack

Larry Kudlow, President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, has suffered a heart attack and is being treated at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C.

Trump tweeted the news just hours before his historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "Our Great Larry Kudlow, who has been working so hard on trade and the economy, has just suffered a heart attack," he wrote.

The 70 year-old Kudlow's condition is not immediately known. Kudlow's wife, Judy Pond, told the Washington Post late Monday night that "he's doing fine. Doctors here are fabulous."

Kudlow, who was a CNBC host before replacing Gary Cohn as National Economic Council director, most recently accompanied Trump to Quebec for the G7 meeting, where he advised the president to hang tough on trade and tariff negotiations.

The economic adviser appeared on CNN's State of The Union Sunday Morning. Kudlow joined the program to defend Trump's decision not to sign the G7 joint agreement due to the actions of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau “holds a press conference and says ‘the U.S. is insulting,’ he said that ‘Canada has to stand up for itself,’ he says that we ‘are the problem with tariffs,” Kudlow told CNN host Jake Tapper. “He was polarizing. He really kind of stabbed us in the back, he did a great disservice to the whole G-7, he betrayed them.”

Prior to hosting a show on CNBC, Kudlow worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and in President Ronald Reagan's administration.

Kudlow has been married to his third wife, Judy Pond, since 1986.


12.06.2018 - Trump Told Mike Pence Not to Allow Any 'F***ing Crazy Talk' From His Advisers Ahead of Kim Jong Un Meeting: Report
Trump Told Mike Pence Not to Allow Any 'F***ing Crazy Talk' From His Advisers Ahead of Kim Jong Un Meeting: Report

President Donald Trump urged his top advisers to show restraint in their comments about North Korea in the lead up to his much-anticipated summit with the country's leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore Tuesday.

“Mike, you got it?,” the president asked Vice President Mike Pence, according to a White House official who spoke to The Wall Street Journal. “No f---ing crazy talk from anybody in the administration.”

The summit was previously called off, with both countries issuing comments that set back negotiations. North Korea abruptly canceled the summit in May when Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton said the United States’ approach to North Korea negotiations would follow the “Libya model.”

“We have very much in mind the Libya model from 2003, 2004,” he said on Fox News, referring to a process of denuclearization in Libya which eventually led to the toppling and death of leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The summit was then officially called off by Trump after a North Korean official called Mike Pence a “political dummy.” Yet just days later, on June 1, Trump announced that the meeting was back on after he hosted a top North Korean official at the White House.

That did not stop the potentially destabilizing comments, however. Rudy Giuliani, the president’s attorney, told reporters last week: “Kim Jong Un got back on his hands and knees and begged for it, which is exactly the position you want to put him in.”

Trump’s call for restraint is a shift in tone from his own tweets about the North Korean Leader.

The Chinese Envoy, who just returned from North Korea, seems to have had no impact on Little Rocket Man. Hard to believe his people, and the military, put up with living in such horrible conditions. Russia and China condemned the launch,” he said in November 2017.

In January, the president tweeted, “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”

Trump told reporters before leaving the G7 summit in Canada for Singapore that he’ll be able to know within a minute if a deal will be possible with the North Korean leader. “It’s just my touch, my feel—that’s what I do,” he said. “They say you know you’re going to like somebody in the first five seconds—you ever hear of that one? Well, I think I’ll know very quickly whether or not something good is going to happen. I think I’ll know whether it will happen fast.”

He added, “And if I think it won’t happen, I don’t want to waste my time,” he said. “I don’t want to waste his time.”
This article was first written by Newsweek


12.06.2018 - Trump-Kim Summit Step Toward Firm Peace in Region - Tokyo
Trump-Kim Summit Becoming Step Toward Firm Peace in Region - Tokyo

The Japanese government hopes that the ongoing summit between North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in Singapore will become a big step toward the establishment of peace and stability in North East Asia, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Tuesday.

"We hope that this historic meeting will become a significant step toward the building of peace and stability in North East Asia. We intend to promote [this process]," Suga said.

The Japanese official also expressed his hope that the summit in Singapore would contribute to resolving the problems surrounding the North Korean missile and nuclear programs and would permit progress on the issue of North Korea's abductions of the Japanese citizens.


12.06.2018 - Russian Lawmakers: Moscow Ready to Assist in N Korea's Denuclearization
Russian Lawmakers: Moscow Ready to Assist in N Korea's Denuclearization

Russia welcomes the summit between North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump, however, one round of negotiations is unlikely to lead to any significant results, Deputy Chair of the Russian lower house's Defense Committee Yuri Shvytkin told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"The very meeting between Kim Jong Un and Trump, taking into account that the initial positions, which currently exist, are quite unfavorable for the holding of the meeting,… is welcomed. But at the same time I believe that today one round of talks, one summit will not yield any considerable results," Shvytkin said.

Meanwhile, the first deputy head of the Russian upper house international committee, Vladimir Dzhabarov, told Sputnik on Tuesday that Moscow was ready to take part in the process of North Korea's nuclear disarmament and believes that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

"Russia is ready to facilitate the peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula the process of the denuclearization should be decided on within the group of six negotiators. Meanwhile, Pyongyang expects the security assurances from the international community, first of all, from the United States," Dzhabarov indicated.

The lawmaker also added that the first meeting between the leaders of North Korea and the United States was unlikely to produce any major decisions.
 
Beijing is hoping that US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will be able to reach consensus on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and create a mechanism for a peace settlement in the region, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a statement published on the ministry's website on Tuesday.

12.06.2018 - China Hopes North Korea, US Agree on Denuclearizing Korean Peninsula
China Hopes North Korea, US Agree on Denuclearizing Korean Peninsula

We are hoping that the leaders of North Korea and the United States will be able to eliminate all disagreements, achieve mutual trust, overcome difficulties and reach a major consensus toward the implementation of denuclearization and creation of a peaceful settlement mechanism on the Korean Peninsula," the statement read.

Other politicians around the world have also addressed the issue. South Korean President Moon Jae-in noted that he "could hardly sleep last night" in anticipation of the summit and also expressed hope for "complete denuclearization and peace."


12.06.2018 - Trump and Kim Jong-un Sign Document After Historic Summit
Trump and Kim Jong-un Sign Document After Historic Summit

[...] [...] The meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un lasted for about 45 minutes as it was initially planned. After the one-on-one meeting concluded the parties moved on to the summit in an expanded format.

The US delegation includes State Secretary Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. The North Korean delegation, in turn, comprises Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the ruling Workers’ Party, and Ri Su Yong, the Workers’ Party's top official for international affairs.

After a working lunch, the two leaders walked around Singapore's Capella hotel and went back to the hotel. Moments before, Trump told journalists that the meeting was "better than anybody could have expected," and said that the leaders were going to "a signing".

"A lot of progress — really very positive. I think better than anybody could have expected. Top of the line, very good. We're going now for a signing," Trump said.

CNN reported later, quoting an unnamed Washington official, that the two leaders are going to sign an agreement to acknowledge the progress of the talks and pledge to keep momentum going.

Meanwhile, local media reported that North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un said following one-on-one meeting with US President Donald Trump in Singapore that he was interested in developing close cooperation with the US president.

According to The Straits Times newspaper, Kim is willing to work closely together with Trump even despite the possible difficulties and obstacles.

Also, journalists, present at the meeting, reported Trump Saying that he has "great relationship" with Kim Jong-un.

After the meeting Trump addressed the outcome document.

"So we're signing a very important document, a pretty comprehensive document… We're both very honored to sign the document," he said. "We're very proud of what took place today. I think our whole relationship with North Korea and the Korean peninsula is going to be in a very much different situation than it has in the past… We have developed a very special bond… We're going to take care of a very big and a very dangerous problem for the world," Trump said.

In his turn, North Korean leader stated, that the world was about to see "a major change" and expressed his gratitude to Trump for making this meeting possible. The US President called Kim Jong-un a "very talented man," who "loves his country very much", adding he would "absolutely" invite Kim to the White House. Trump stated that he would hold a press conference later in the day, also pledging to continue to conduct negotiations with Kim in the future.

After a long handshake, Kim and Trump left the sight of the meeting.


12.06.2018 - Singaporean PM Congradtulates Trump, Kim on Successful Outcome of Summit
Singaporean PM Congratulates Trump, Kim on Successful Outcome of Summit

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has congratulated US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the successful conclusion of their much-anticipated bilateral meeting.

"Congratulations on the successful conclusion of a historic summit meeting between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States. The joint statement that you signed today with Chairman Kim Jong-un is a dramatic step forward. It is a crucial first move in the long journey towards lasting peace and stability on a denuclearized Korean Peninsula," Lee Hsien Loong said in a congratulatory letter to Trump posted on Facebook.

Lee also expressed his gratitude that Singapore had been chosen to host the event and wished both Pyongyang and Washington success in implementing the agreement.

An analogous letter was sent to Kim. (Copy of letter)


12.06.2018 - Historic Kim-Trump Summit Highlights: Handshakes, Body Language, 'Major changes'
Historic Kim-Trump Summit Highlights: Handshakes, Body Language, 'Major Changes'

Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un met in Singapore on June 12, marking an historic shift in US-DPRK relations. Sputnik has gathered key facts about the summit that took place despite the odds and decades of mutual mistrust between the two countries.

Momentous Handshake
The summit started with the two leaders meeting each other on the red carpet in front of flags after months of preparations and one "rain check" taken by the sides. The handshake lasted for about 13 seconds and has been branded historic by many social networks users. According to reports, North Korea's leader greeted his US counterpart in English.


Body language experts noted that during the joint walk and while sitting in the negotiating room, both leaders emanated an aura of friendship, openness and warmth.

Kim Jong-un and Trump had a 40-minute dialogue in private, followed by a working lunch, where their advisors, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, former spy chief Kim Yong-chol, and Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho joined them. The lunch itself reportedly consisted of both Western and Korean dishes, such as stuffed cucumbers and a soy-braised fish.

Results of the Historic Negotiations
Following the negotiations, Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump signed what the latter called a "pretty comprehensive document," which marked the verge of a "major change" for the world as his Korean counterpart described it.

The agreement signed by the two contains four points: re-starting US-N. Korean relations for the sake of mutual prosperity, the DPRK's demilitarization and denuclearization, joint efforts for reaching peace on the Korean Peninsula and also the recovery of the remains of prisoners of war and soldiers who went missing in action during the days of the Korean War (1950-1953).

The document's text reportedly doesn't contain the formula "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization," but it contains a reaffirmation of the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula adopted on April 27, 2018 during the inter-Korean summit. At the same time, Trump said during his press conference that Pyongyang had already destroyed a major nuclear engine test site, citing the words of the DPRK leader.

Trump also promised to stop military drills with South Korea if talks with its northern counterpart progress successfully. The AFP News agency has claimed that the document includes "security guarantees" for North Korea, but didn't provide any specifics.

Trump's Press Conference and Kim's Promenade
Trump spoke extensively with the press after the historic meeting concluded. He thanked Kim Jong-un for "stepping toward a bright future" and called him an honest, direct and "productive" person. He even expressed his readiness to invite him to the White House at some point in the future.

Commenting on the sanctions issue, Trump said that they are to stay in place for now, but he expressed his readiness to lift them as soon as the DPRK finishes its denuclearization.

Although Chairman Kim left the summit soon after its end, he made use of the opportunity before the meeting began to get acquainted with life in Singapore. Kim took a stroll around Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino, where he was reportedly cheered by bystanders who caught a glimpse of him.

The only thing that cast a shadow over the event, was news that the US president's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow had suffered a heart attack minutes before Trump met Kim Jong-un. Fortunately, he was given proper and timely medical attention and is now "doing fine," according to his wife.


12.06.2018 - Trump-Kim Historic Summit concludes With Ambitious Agreement
Trump-Kim Historic Summit Concludes With Ambitious Agreement

The first-ever summit of US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has concluded with an agreement in which Pyongyang reaffirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, while the United States pledged to provide security guarantees.

The final document is made up of only four points: the agreement to establish new bilateral relations, decision to join efforts to "build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula," Pyongyang's confirmed commitment to denuclearization, and the repatriation of the remains of the US military personnel, either prisoners of war or missing in action after the 1950-1953 war.

In response to Kim's confirmation of denuclearization intentions, Trump has promised to provide security guarantees to Pyongyang.

However, the document does not mention Washington's determination to achieve a complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization.

The two sides have agreed that a follow-up meeting would be attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a relevant official from North Korea.


12.06.2018 - Moscow Welcomes Trump Announcing Suspension of Korean Peninsula Military Drills
Moscow Welcomes Trump Announcing Suspension of Korean Peninsula Military Drills

Russia welcomes US President Donald Trump announcing the suspension of military exercises on the Korean peninsula during the talks with North Korea, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

"We welcome the negotiations of chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump," the Ministry stated. Moscow said it believed that the normalization of the countries’ bilateral ties is an integral part of the solution of the Korean peninsula’s issues and that Russia would "support the political and diplomatic process on the Korean peninsula."

We assess positively the statement of US president after the meeting saying that it was inappropriate to hold military exercises during the negotiations. We are convinced that the cessation of provocative actions is a necessary step towards decreasing tensions on the peninsula and establishing an atmosphere of trust there," the statement read.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the fact of the meeting is positive, underlining, however, that the documents on the results of the meeting between the leaders of the United States and North Korea were to be published.

"We are just like you, watching TV, watching the comments that both sides are making. We have not seen any documents. In my opinion, they have not been published yet, but the fact of the meeting is, of course, positive," Lavrov told reporters commenting on the meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

Earlier in the day, Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. After the historic summit, Trump announced that the drills would be suspended if the talks with Pyongyang were to move ahead.


12.06.2018 - Ministry: China's 'Double Freeze' Plan on N Korea Proved Effectiveness Over Time
Ministry: China’s ‘Double Freeze’ Plan on N Korea Proved Effectiveness Over Time

China’s so-called double freeze plan on the North Korean settlement, envisaging the latter’s halting its nuclear activity in exchange for the United States ceasing drills near the peninsula as well as the establishment of the peace dialogue, has ultimately proved to be effective, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"In regards to the problem of the Korean peninsula, China is committed to the denuclearization and maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula, the settlement of the relevant issues through the dialogue and consultations. We have proposed a ‘double freeze’ plan and the development of situation has proved that it is a right offer and it is being implemented. The relevant sides are working using the ‘double freeze’ approach as well," Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Geng Shuang said at a briefing.

Earlier in the day, the first-ever summit of US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has concluded with an agreement in which Pyongyang reaffirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, while the United States pledged to provide security guarantees.

In June, China proposed a so-called double freeze plan, which was supported by Russia. It suggested that North Korea cease its nuclear activity in exchange for the United States and South Korea halting their joint military drills near the peninsula.

Russia also proposed to develop a roadmap for the gradual restoration of trust and creation of conditions for the resumption of six-party talks.
 
"Anyone can make war, but only the most courageous can make peace" - US President Donald Trump on "honest, direct" meeting with Kim Jong-un.

Published on Jun 12, 2018 (0:34 min.)


Longer version: Trump speaks after historic summit with Kim Jong Un

Published on Jun 12, 2018 (1:05:29 min.)
 
Despite the fact that Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un seemed to have bonded during the Singapore summit, the US president credited his past fiery rhetoric against the North Korean leader for making the landmark meeting come true.

13.06.2018 - Trump Opens Up About Feeling 'Foolish' When Insulting 'Little Rocket Man'
Trump Opens Up About Feeling 'Foolish' When Insulting 'Little Rocket Man'

Speaking immediately after the historic summit with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Donald Trump revealed that Kim Jong-un has a “very good personality, he’s funny, and he’s very, very smart” and the two “got along very well” from the very onset of the meeting.

A sudden change of heart seems to be at odds with his previous comments, when the president repeatedly referred to the North Korean leader as “Little Rocket Man” on a “suicide mission” and threatened to unleash “fire and fury” if Pyongyang proceeded with its nuclear provocations. Kim, in turn, responded to the insults, calling Trump a “dotard,” exhibiting “mentally deranged behavior.”

The president shared with Hannity that his hardline stance on North Korea paved the way for the historic summit, but admitted that sometimes it didn’t come easy.

“I think without the rhetoric, we wouldn’t have been here. I really believe that. So, I think the rhetoric, I hated to do it. Sometimes I felt foolish doing it. But we had no choice,” Trump confessed.

And it appears that the president never lost hope of becoming Kim’s friend – at least judging by his tweet:

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!
8:48 PM - Nov 11, 2017 · Vietnam


13.06.2018 - 'There is No Longer a Nuclear Threat From N Korea' - Trump
'There is No Longer a Nuclear Threat From N Korea' - Trump

US President Donald Trump has made several announcements upon his return to Washington after the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore.

"Just landed - a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Meeting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience. North Korea has great potential for the future!" Trump posted on his Twitter account.

The president further underlined that before he took office, former president Barack Obama had been calling North Korea "our biggest and most dangerous problem" and US citizens were scared of a possible war with the nuclear power.

According to Trump, the deal has become possible since both sides decided not to play, what he called "war games".

Later in the day, the president slammed "fake news", accusing some media outlets of efforts to downplay the deal with North Korea.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

So funny to watch the Fake News, especially NBC and CNN. They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea. 500 days ago they would have “begged” for this deal-looked like war would break out. Our Country’s biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!
9:30 AM - Jun 13, 2018

These statements were made when Donald Trump returned to US soil after holding a momentous meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore the day before. During the summit, both sides signed an agreement outlining the two countries' commitment to work toward denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Trump also gave North Korea security assurances and indicated he would suspend military exercises with South Korea.

The North Korean leader noted that if Washington keeps taking "sincere steps to build trust," Pyongyang will also take "measures of goodwill." During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to continue the dialogue and accepted each other's invitations to visit North Korea and the United States.

The deal reached has been welcomed by Moscow. Russia has been supporting a reserved approach to the issue, suggesting a so-called double-freeze plan together with China. The proposed document stipulated Pyongyang halting its nuclear activity in exchange for the United States ceasing drills near the peninsula as well as the establishment of a peace dialogue - similar to the final agreement.


13.06.2018 - N Korean Media Says US Aims to End Sanctions as Trump Speaks of 'New Future'
N Korean Media Says US Aims to End Sanctions as Trump Speaks of 'New Future'

US President Donald Trump told North Korea's Kim Jong-un about Washington's intention to lift sanctions against Pyongyang amid further improvement of relations between the two countries, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has reported.

"Trump announced his intention to stop the joint military exercises of the United States and South Korea, which North Korea views as a provocation, for a period of friendly dialogue between North Korea and the United States, offer security guarantees to North Korea and lift sanctions against it amid further improvement of relations through dialogue and negotiations," KCNA said Wednesday.

According to KCNA, during the summit, Kim said that in order to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the United States and North Korea should refrain from confrontation and take measures to guarantee stability.

"Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump expressed a unified position on the importance of respecting the principle of step-by-step and simultaneous actions to achieve peace, stability, and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," KCNA said.

The US president, in turn, expressed gratitude to Chairman Kim Jong-un for the "bold step toward a bright new future" for the North Korean people and said that Pyongyang's opportunities have no limits if it abandons the country's nuclear weapons program.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

There is no limit to what NoKo can achieve when it gives up its nuclear weapons and embraces commerce & engagement w/ the world. Chairman Kim has before him the opportunity to be remembered as the leader who ushered in a glorious new era of security & prosperity for his citizens!
8:02 PM - Jun 12, 2018


13.06.2018 - Kim-Trump Summit Proved Putin Right, Only Dialogue Can Solve Crisis - Kremlin
Kim-Trump Summit Proved Putin Right, Only Dialogue Can Solve Crisis – Kremlin

The meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore contributes to defusing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and prevents the situation in the region from reaching a critical point, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

The results of this meeting have yet to be substantively analyzed, but we can only welcome the very fact that such a meeting has taken place and a direct dialogue has been launched. Certainly, such meetings, whatever the results, contribute to defusing tensions on the peninsula, pushing the situation away from the critical point in which it was literally a few months ago. This also cannot but be noted with satisfaction,” Peskov told reporters.

The spokesman stressed that it was wrong to hope that the long-standing complex of problems around North Korea could be solved overnight, emphasizing that the historic summit had proved that Russian President Vladimir Putin's stance that problems of the Korean Peninsula could not be resolved other than via a direct dialogue was right.

Russian President would meet President of the Presidium of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly Kim Yong Nam on Thursday, he added.


13.06.2018 - Lavrov: US, N Korea Will Hardly Solve All Korean Problems Bilaterally
Lavrov: US, N Korea Will Hardly Solve All Korean Problems Bilaterally

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the US announcement of the suspension of military drills in the region would help solve the challenges facing the Korean Peninsula.

"President Trump's announcement about the lack of need to hold yet another US-South Korean drill will contribute to ensuring a steady pace [in the Korean settlement]," Lavrov said at a press conference.

The Russian minister said that the very fact that the summit took place is positive, stressing that denuclearization would take a long time and expressed hope that Pyongyang and Washington would have "enough patience" to agree on the parameters of the process.

"Undoubtedly, despite the importance of resolving the problems between the United States and North Korea, including the stages of the peninsula's denuclearization and security guarantees, it is clear that these problems can hardly be resolved in a bilateral format… All participants of the six-party talks persistently noted that the process should result in creating a system of peace, security and stability throughout Northeast Asia," he said.

The minister commented on the historic meeting held between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12. The politicians signed a framework agreement, committing to work toward denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Trump also gave Pyongyang security assurances and stated that he would suspend military drills with South Korea in order to avoid tensions.


13.06.2018 - Pompeo: US Hopes for Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula Within 2.5 Years
Pompeo: US Hopes for Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula Within 2.5 Years

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States hopes to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in two-and-a-half years, ABC News reported on Wednesday.

Pompeo said during his visit in Seoul on Wednesday that the United States hopes North Korea will denuclearize by the end of US President Donald Trump’s first term of presidency, ABC News reported.

"Major disarmament… We're hopeful that we can achieve that in the two and half years," he stated, adding that there is "a lot of work left to do".

Pompeo underscored that the agreement signed on Tuesday by Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un includes verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.

"Let me assure you that 'complete' encompasses verifiable in the minds of everyone concerned. One can't completely denuclearize without validating, authenticating," he said.

The US top official defended Trump’s decision to unilaterally stop US military exercises with South Korea near the Korean peninsula by saying that the halt will only last as long as North Korea is participating in productive and good-faith negotiations.
 
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Thu Jun 14, 2018 - South Korean President Vows to Consider Suspending War Games If Needed
Farsnews

South Korean President Moon Jae-in stated that there is a need for flexible change regarding a military stance if talks between the US and North Korea continue to progress positively, according to a Blue House statement.

Moon said South Korea would carefully consider joint military drills with the United States and he asked his officials to cooperate with the United States on the issue, his office said in a statement, RIA Novosti reported.

"If North Korea sincerely carries out denuclearization steps and North Korea's dialogue with the South and the United States to resolve hostilities goes well, it will be necessary to flexibly change military pressure against the North to abide by the spirit of the Panmunjom Declaration," Moon added.

Earlier in the day, the South Korean President chaired a National Security Council (NSC) plenary meeting.

"President Moon said that if North Korea sincerely engages in denuclearization, if sincere dialogue both between South and North Korea, North Korea and the United States continues to resolve hostilities in their relations, a flexible change in military pressure on North Korea will be needed in accordance with the spirit of mutual trust established in the Panmunjom Declaration, and we will carefully review the issue of the ROK-US joint drills," the press release read.

Moon earlier stressed that the US-North Korean high-level meeting would pave the wave for an "era of complete denuclearization" and peace in the region.

In a press conference after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their summit in Singapore on June 12, US President Donald Trump stated it was inappropriate to hold "war games" while trying to negotiate a deal.

Trump noted that canceling joint military exercises would both save money, and be appreciated by Kim.


June, 13, 2018 - France Alarmed after Trump 'Practically Hugged' Kim: Minister
France Alarmed after Trump 'Practically Hugged' Kim: Minister - Tasnim News Agency

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian criticized Donald Trump's "destabilizing" foreign policy on Wednesday after the US leader fell out with historic US allies then "practically hugged" North Korea's dictator in a matter of days.

Le Drian said Tuesday's historic summit between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un was "an undoubted step forward", but he expressed concern about the US president's diplomatic manoeuvres.

"In the space of just a day you see President Trump attacking Mr. Trudeau who is a historically, and you see President Trump breaking with his collective allies after the G7 meeting in Quebec, and the next day practically hugged a dictator born into a Communist dictatorship which just a few days ago he said he was completely opposed to," he said, AFP reported.

"We are in a destabilizing situation," Le Drian told CNews television.

"President Trump has decided to progressively dismantle the tools of multilateralism created after the last war. It is a period of uncertainty and risk... America is shutting itself away in its fortress of power."

Trump's critics have seized on his warm embrace of Kim, days after a spectacular bust-up with G7 allies at a summit in Canada, as the latest sign of his rapport with autocrats.

Trump clashed badly with leaders of the G7's Western democracies over tariffs and accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of being "dishonest and weak" at a summit that ended in farce last weekend.

Like many officials, Le Drian raised questions over how Kim's promise to help rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons could be achieved.

"There have already been in the past gestures towards denuclearization by the father of Kim Jong Un that came to nothing," Le Drian said.

"So today it's good news, let's take it as such, but let's make sure this principle of denuclearization which was flaunted at this summit is really irreversible and verifiable."


June, 14, 2018 - Japan Working to Arrange Abe-Kim Talks: Reports
Japan Working to Arrange Abe-Kim Talks: Reports - Tasnim News Agency

Japan is working to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim Jong Un after the North Korean leader said he was open to talks, local media reported Thursday.

The Sankei Shimbun said Kim discussed the possibility during historic talks Tuesday with US President Donald Trump.

"During the summit with Trump, Kim told Trump 'I can meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe'," the Sankei reported.

Japan wants the talks to push the emotive issue of citizens abducted by the North decades ago, which has seen little movement despite a whirlwind of diplomacy in recent months.

Abe on Thursday repeated a pledge to push for dialogue with Pyongyang on the issue as he met families of abductees.

"I will face (North Korea) directly and work toward resolving the abduction issue," he told the families, AFP reported.

"Japan has to take the initiative to resolve the issue," he said, adding that the summit would be "meaningless if it yields no progress on the abduction issue".

Government officials are weighing several scenarios, including Abe visiting Pyongyang in August, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.

Another scenario would see Abe meet Kim on the sidelines of a conference in Russia in September, the daily said.

Several Japanese media outlets said Kim had expressed a readiness to meet Abe when he held a summit with Trump.

And Abe has already said publicly that he would be willing to meet Kim in order to resolve the abduction issue.

Japanese foreign ministry officials plan to hold talks with North Korean officials at an international security conference in Mongolia this week as they try to firm up plans, local media said.


June, 13, 2018 - US Secretary of State to Visit China, Talk about Trump-Kim Summit
US Secretary of State to Visit China, Talk about Trump-Kim Summit - Tasnim News Agency

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit China on Thursday and brief China on the summit between US President Donald Trump and the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un in Singapore.

Pompeo's visit is at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Wednesday at a daily press briefing.

The two sides will exchange opinions on bilateral ties and important international and regional issues of common concern, Geng said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Calling Pompeo's visit "an important high-level exchange between the two sides," Geng expressed China's hope to promote understanding, manage differences and expand cooperation with the United States.

Maintaining sound and stable development of ties between China and the United States is not only in the interests of the two sides, but also of the whole world, and the international community looks forward to it, Geng said.
 
14.06.2018 - Classified Israeli Report Hints Trump-Kim Summit a Glorified Photo Op
Classified Israeli Report Hints Trump-Kim Summit a Glorified Photo Op

A classified Israeli Foreign Ministry report suggests that US President Donald Trump and North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un’s meeting in Singapore was little more than a glorified photo opportunity in which the US “retreated from its positions.”

Regardless of the smiles in the summit, many in Japan, South Korea and the US Congress doubt that North Korea is sincere in its intentions. Our assessment is that regardless of President Trump's statements about quick changes that are expected in North Korean policy, the road the [sic.] real and substantive change, if it ever happens, will be long and slow," the classified report, obtained by Axios' Barak Ravid Thursday afternoon, states.

According to Axios' summary of the document, which was circulated among Israeli embassies worldwide after being produced by the research department of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the document signed jointly by Kim and Trump leaves much to be desired.

Specifically, Trump sought "full, irreversible, and verifiable" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but the document only provides for Pyongyang to achieve "complete denuclearization."

The Israeli researchers determined that Trump's decision to end military drills with South Korea amounted to "a retreat by the US," Axios notes.

Views about the importance of the summit differ substantially. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow welcomes and values the "results of the meeting" between the two heads of state, while adding that it was "only a first step" toward a complete resolution of the situation in the region.
 
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