International Reception of Trump's Agreement to Meet North Korean Leader

The news of a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been met with international approval. On Thursday, Chung Eui-yong, South Korea's National Security Advisor, directly conveyed Kim Jong-un's message to Donald Trump. After meeting with Trump, he told reporters at the White House that Trump had accepted Kim Jong-un's invitation to meet. This was also reported by news agencies on Friday, quoting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who stated that Trump's agreement to talk with the North Korean leader was due to a significant change in Kim Jong-un's stance and his willingness to meet. Meanwhile, China welcomed this decision and announced its full support for the meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, "We are very pleased that North Korea and the U.S. have finally taken this step." He added that the Korean Peninsula dispute is on the right track and that Beijing supports resolving conflicts through dialogue. He further stated, "We hope all parties will show political courage and make political decisions" to achieve a peaceful solution. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was visiting Astana, stated that the possible meeting between the U.S. President and the North Korean leader should lead to the resumption of negotiations to resolve the dispute on the Korean Peninsula. Lavrov said, "This meeting should not just end in dialogue but should pave the way for the resumption of a comprehensive political negotiation process aimed at resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula." According to Lavrov, these discussions should be based on principles approved in the Six-Party Talks and the UN Security Council. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha also reported close cooperation with the U.S. government to plan a "productive and result-oriented meeting" between Trump and Kim Jong-un. South Korean President Moon Jae-in described the meeting of the U.S. and North Korean leaders as a "historic turning point" that would set the path for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The South Korean President stated that Trump's leadership would be praised not only by the citizens of South and North Korea but by every peace-loving individual around the world. Christopher Hill, former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, called North Korea's invitation to meet Trump "very extraordinary" and told Sky News, "I spent four years negotiating with North Korea in the Six-Party Talks, and I can say we have never been this close." However, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed this development but urged the international community to continue applying maximum pressure on North Korea. The Prime Minister confirmed that he had discussed continued pressure on North Korea with Donald Trump over the phone and stated that he would travel to the U.S. next month to negotiate about North Korea.