News Analysis |
United States President Donald Trump shared the photo of the official letter, written on his behalf to the North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, via his personal twitter handle saying that “he was forced to” cancel the summit meeting with Kim Jong Un.
For those who are aware of the US-Korean politics and rift, it should not come as a surprise. From the beginning when Donald Trump announced in April that he has accepted North Korean desire for a meeting of both counterparts, the uncertainty about the meeting actually taking place was shared by the global analyst. The primary reason behind the skepticism was the unpredictable nature of both the leaders. In past, Trump went on to call Kim “little rocket man” and threatened him with his “big nuclear button”. In response, Kim made a threat about hitting the US with the nuclear strike at his discretion.
Read more: Trump skeptical about his meeting with Kim Jong Un
The matter took the extraordinary path at the beginning of this year when North Korea sent its delegation to winter Olympics in South Korea and both the squads marched under the united Korean Flag. Subsequently, there were several astounding yet unexpected moves from North hinting at a shift in the policy. But the biggest surprise came when out of the sudden, even for the National Security brass of United States of America, President Trump accepted the invitation for a meeting which was the result of backdoor diplomacy, facilitated by South Korea.
Read more: Top officials scramble to make Trump-Kim summit a reality
“Based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I believe it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting,” Trump wrote. “Please let this letter serve to represent that the Singapore summit, for the good of both parties, but to the detriment of the world, will not take place.”
Mike Pence, US Vice President, addressed Kim to make a deal with the United States or else he would have to suffer the same fate as Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi did. The statement, somewhat similar to what Trump’s National Security Advisor said a few days back which caused rage among the North Koreans leading them to call Pence as “stupid”.
Read more: Kim prepared to cede Nuclear Weapons if U.S. pledges not to…
North Korea was equal to the task while responding toward the summit suspension letter issued by US president. “We will neither beg the U.S. for dialogue nor take the trouble to persuade them if they do not want to sit together with us,” said Choe Son Hui, a vice foreign minister. She said it was up to Washington whether “the U.S. will meet us at a meeting room or encounter us at nuclear-to-nuclear showdown.” The momentary optimism which prevailed after the summit was announced, despite the innate ability of both the leaders to mess things up effortlessly, has vanished and the issue is back to square one.
“It’s possible that the existing summit could take place, or a summit at some later date. Nobody should be anxious. We have to get it right”
South Koreans, who have played the mediator’s role to bridge the gap between North Korea and the United States, are astonished by the sudden development of termination of talks. Just a day before, a South Korean official was quoted as saying in Washington that he was 99.9% sure that summit is going to happened on June 12, in Singapore as planned. President Moon of South Korea said the cancellation was “disconcerting and very regrettable,” adding that the current communication between North Korea and the United States does not work to resolve the disputes between the two nations. “The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and building a permanent peace on the peninsula is a task we cannot give up or delay,” Mr. Moon said in a meeting on Thursday with his National Security Council, according to his office.
Read more: Trump-Kim summit in play as Moon visits White House
While putting a full stop over the possibility of the summit, Donald Trump still left the options open for a meetup. “It’s possible that the existing summit could take place, or a summit at some later date. Nobody should be anxious. We have to get it right”, he stated. It remains uncertain how can Trump be still optimistic about the prospects of this meeting given the aggressive, instantaneous and uncalculated statements coming from his own aides. Just in a span a week, the same Libyan analogy which offended North Koreans in the first place and led to aggressive remark was repeated by someone above in stature to whom the statement was previously attributed to. The casualness from the stakeholders at times puts the seriousness to resolve Korean crisis question.