Trump Effect: Kim Jong Un Makes History — Crosses Into South Korea for Nuke Talks

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In what’s going to go down as one of the most remarkable historical acts of all time, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un crossed over to South Korea and stood with President Moon Jae-in to start talks about nuclear peace.

This is the first time Kim has stepped foot on South Korean soil — and it’s due in large part to President Donald Trump’s pressing and bold leadership.

If this were Barack Obama, the mainstream media would be clanging loud drums and cheering in the streets.

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But as it is — history will show the occasion as stemming from Trump’s bold leadership just the same.

The Associated Press has more:

The leaders of North and South Korea played it safe Friday, repeating a previous vow to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons but failing to provide any specific measures or forge a potential breakthrough on an issue that has captivated the world since the rivals seemed on the verge of war last year.

In a sense, the vague statement by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to achieve “a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through complete denuclearization” kicks the issue down the road to a much-anticipated summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in coming weeks.

Even so, the Koreas’ historic summit Friday might be remembered as much for the striking images of two men from nations with a deep and bitter history of acrimony holding each other’s hands and grinning from ear to ear as they crossed back into the North and then returned again to the South after Kim first made history by walking over the border to greet Moon. Kim was the first North Korean leader to touch southern soil since the end of the Korean War.

It marks a surreal, whiplash swing in relations for the Koreas, from nuclear threats and missile tests to intimations of peace and cooperation. Perhaps the change is best illustrated by geography: Kim and Moon’s historic handshake and a later 30-minute conversation at a footbridge on the border occurred only meters (feet) from the spot where a North Korean soldier fled in a hail of gunfire months earlier, and an easy walk from where North Korean soldiers axe-murdered two U.S. soldiers in 1976.

The summit must be seen in the context of the last year – when the United States, its ally South Korea and the North threatened and raged as the North unleashed a torrent of weapons tests – but also in light of the long, destructive history of the rival Koreas, who fought one of the 20th century’s bloodiest conflicts and even today occupy a divided peninsula that’s still technically in a state of war.

North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests last year likely put it on the threshold of becoming a legitimate nuclear power. North Korea, which has spent decades doggedly building its bombs despite crippling sanctions and near-constant international opprobrium, claims it has already risen to that level.

“I feel like I’m firing a flare at the starting line in the moment of (the two Koreas) writing a new history in North-South relations, peace and prosperity,” Kim told Moon as they sat at a table, which had been built so that exactly 2018 millimeters separated them, to begin their closed-door talks. Moon responded that there were high expectations that they produce an agreement that will be a “big gift to the entire Korean nation and every peace-loving person in the world.”�

Kim acknowledged the widespread skepticism over their summit. “We have reached big agreements before but were unable to fulfill them. … There are skeptical views on whether the meeting today will yield meaningful results,” Kim said. “If we maintain a firm will and proceed forward hand in hand, it will be impossible at least for things to get worse than they are now.”

Kim and Moon in their talks vowed to have more meetings, according to Moon’s spokesman, Yoon Young-chan, with Kim joking that he would make sure not to interrupt Moon’s sleep anymore, a reference to the North’s drumbeat of early-morning missile tests last year. Kim also referred to a South Korean island that North Korea attacked with artillery in 2010, killing four, saying the residents of Yeonpyeong Island who have been living in fear of North Korean artillery have high hopes the summit will help heal past scars. Kim said he’d visit Seoul’s presidential Blue House if invited.

Earlier, both leaders smiled broadly as Moon grasped Kim’s hand and led him along a blindingly red carpet into South Korean territory, where schoolchildren gave Kim flowers and an honor guard stood at attention for inspection, a military band playing traditional Korean folk songs beloved by both Koreas and the South Korean equivalent of “Hail to the Chief.” It’s the first time a North Korean leader has crossed over to the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone since the Korean War ended in 1953.

The greeting of the two leaders was planned to the last detail. Thousands of journalists were kept in a huge conference center well away from the summit, except for a small group of tightly controlled pool reporters at the border. Moon stood near the Koreas’ dividing line, moving forward the moment he glimpsed Kim, dressed in dark, Mao-style suit, appearing in front of a building on the northern side. They shook hands with the border line between them. Moon then invited Kim to cross into the South, and, after Kim did so, Moon said, “You have crossed into the South, but when do I get to go across?” Kim replied, “Why don’t we go across now?” and then grasped Moon’s hand and led him into the North and then back into the South. They took ceremonial photos facing the North and then facing the South.

Two fifth-grade students from the Daesongdong Elementary School, the only South Korean school within the DMZ, greeted the leaders and gave Kim flowers. Kim and Moon then saluted an honor guard and military band, and Moon introduced Kim to South Korean government officials. Kim returned the favor, introducing Moon to the North Korean officials accompanying him. They then took a photo inside the Peace House, where the summit was to take place, in front of a painting of South Korea’s Bukhan Mountain, which towers over the South Korean Blue House presidential mansion. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, was by his side throughout the ceremony, handing him a pen to sign a guestbook, taking the schoolchildren’s flowers from his hand and scribbling notes at the start of the talks with Moon.

Expectations were generally low, given that past so-called breakthroughs on North Korea’s weapons have collapsed amid acrimonious charges of cheating and bad faith. Skeptics of engagement have long said that the North often turns to interminable rounds of diplomacy meant to ease the pain of sanctions – giving it time to perfect its weapons and win aid for unfulfilled nuclear promises.

Advocates of engagement, however, say the only way to get a deal is to do what the Koreas tried Friday: Sit down and see what’s possible.

The White House said in a statement that it is “hopeful that talks will achieve progress toward a future of peace and prosperity for the entire Korean Peninsula. … (and) looks forward to continuing robust discussions in preparation for the planned meeting between President Donald J. Trump and Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks.”

North Korea may see the Trump summit see as a way to legitimize its declared status as a nuclear power.

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Maranatha
Maranatha
5 years ago

Nobel Peace prize for Trump.
….This time …no high eyebrows…
..

Suresh
Suresh
5 years ago

NK is getting what they want. wait till he spellls out what he wants in return for peace.

Alleged-Comment
Alleged-Comment
5 years ago

Will Trump get the Nobel Peace Prize?? Their Negro did for starting wars and supplying guns to drug lords. Trump did neither of that.

What you say?? He started the Syrian war. That was to END a war. 😉

felix1999
felix1999
5 years ago

Trump is making history, AGAIN!
Moving our embassy to Jerusalem and now this.
He is showing how ineffective and timid our past Presidents have been.The outcome of NK is not settled yet but NO President prior to Trump did anything about monster Kim. Trump knew to leverage China. China more or less control NK. China gave Kim a spanking…. China WANTS US for trade!

NONE of the other candidates, who are ALL CAREER POLITICIANS, would have have done this. NONE OF THEM. They would have been bought off. Even now the rest of the swamp creatures does NOTHING to help Trump and his agenda. NOT ONE, helps him. The SWAMP is still fighting him. If the 30 hour rule stands in the Senate, it would take NINE YEARS to fill the needed vacant appointments for key positions. Yes, NINE YEARS.

Hopefully the two hour rule will pass and speed things up. This is harming our country and national security. LIBERAL judges block Trump’s legitimate legal moves. They have made it POLITICAL instead of based on the rule of law. They should be impeached and the SWAMP won’t do that….

We should not be bumping everything up to the Supreme Court. That adds on at least another six months till anything can be enforced that other Presidents did with ease. What they are doing is trying to take away his legitimate Presidential power and make him impotent as a President so he gets nothing done.

Thank God for Trump!

Jana
Jana
5 years ago

when America gets out of way there maybe peace in other parts of the world as well

Rick Reynolds
Rick Reynolds
5 years ago

Kim knows his neck is on the line but he should be forced to step down (Trump sparing his worthless life and his underlings should be the best they can hope for) and allow South Korea to take over the North. This way it can reunify, become a democracy and bring freedom to millions of poor enslaved, starving North Koreans.

They are that way because of Kim Jong Un, he is the obstacle for peace. We shouldn’t settle for de-fanging an evil dictator though it’s a positive move but rather we should expect nothing less than regime change, same for Iran.

Sing On
Sing On
5 years ago

Totally agree…this was because of Trump’s threats of a trade war with China…that forced China to put pressure on North Korea, which is now probably broke from all those weapons tests. #trump2020 #pence2024 #trumpjr2032

R. Arandas
R. Arandas
5 years ago

If he can truly end the Korean War once and for all, his name WILL go down in history, whether the liberals like it or not.

Drew the Infidel
Drew the Infidel
5 years ago

The corrupt media still has not awakened to smell the dog sh*t. The Trump administration is not going to hand feed them the news as did Obhammud. They are going to have to get off their collective asses and dig up a story instead of functioning as the Ministry of Information.

Mickey Oberman
Mickey Oberman
5 years ago

” Trump Effect: Kim Jong Un Makes History — Crosses Into South Korea for Nuke Talks ”

Very wise. Kim must be given credit for believing that President Trump means what he says.

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