November 4, 2018
Will the Nobel Committee recognize President Trump’s efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula?
- NK-USA relations from Clinton through Obama
- Trump pushing brinkmanship, and “Rocket Man”
- Unprecedented diplomacy
It has been recently reported North Korea is readying nuclear and missile sites for international inspection. The North and South have issued a joint declaration after talks at the Inter-Korean Summit Meeting in Pyeongyang on September 18-20, 2018, outlining steps toward reducing tensions, expanding inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, and achieving denuclearization.
Of course, North Korea has a vast history of lies and subterfuge. But they’ve never dealt with anyone like President Trump. And, perhaps, Kim Jong Un has come to the realization it’s better to be dictator of a country that isn’t a nuclear wasteland.
Time will tell, but the events of the past two years are certainly unprecedented and weren’t predictable.
Updates–A February 2019 summit in Hanoi, Viet Nam broke down after two days of talks. According to various media reports, Kim executed four or five North Korean negotiators, although confirmation has not been made.
North Korea test fired short range missiles on May 4 and May 9, 2019. This is the first test firing of any missiles since November 2017.
President Trump became the first US President to enter North Korea on June 30, 2019.