North Korea has dropped the 'U.S. troop withdrawal' condition for denuclearization

Moon Jae-in, the President of South Korea, said on Thursday that North Korea has removed the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea, which has always been one of its demands, as a condition for denuclearization. According to CNN, the U.S. has about 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea, which has always been a source of dissatisfaction for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Nevertheless, Mr. Moon stated that Kim Jong-un is willing to abandon the issue of U.S. troop withdrawal as a condition for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in order to encourage a spirit of cooperation and diplomacy. Mr. Moon said at a press conference, "North Korea has expressed readiness not to set the issue of U.S. troop withdrawal from the Korean Peninsula as a precondition for abandoning its nuclear programs." He added that any plan for troop withdrawal is a "precondition that the U.S. is not willing to accept." The South Korean president, who is set to meet with the North Korean leader at a historic summit next week, said that the North Korean regime is concerned about its security. He added, "They only talk about ending the policy of hostility against North Korea and ensuring its security. Given the clarity on this matter, the U.S. and North Korea have decided to meet and discuss at the leadership level." Yesterday, Donald Trump emphasized that he would halt discussions if negotiations with the North Korean leader do not meet his expectations. Donald Trump stated, "If we think it will not be successful, we will not accept it. If the talks are not fruitful while I am in the meeting, I will respectfully leave the negotiations." In March, Kim Jong-un announced that he would not oppose the joint military exercises of the U.S. and South Korea, which had been delayed due to the Winter Olympics. These annual military exercises have been one of the deep sources of dissatisfaction for the North Korean leader, who views them as a direct provocative act against his country. A senior official from the South Korean presidential office told CNN in March, "Our position is that resuming and delaying the joint military exercises is difficult, and there is no justification for this decision. But Kim Jong-un said he understands South Korea's position." According to this official, the North Korean leader has also stated that he expects changes to occur after stabilizing the security situation on the Korean Peninsula in the conduct of joint military exercises. U.S. military commanders have refused to negotiate regarding the joint military exercises. CNN adds that it seems that since May of last year, when Moon Jae-in, a liberal politician favoring an open policy towards North Korea, became president of South Korea, and especially since the beginning of this year, the diplomatic skill of the North Korean leader has increased. Shortly after Kim Jong-un's message to South Korean leaders for the New Year, an emergency and direct line of communication was established between the leaders of the two countries, resulting in North Korean athletes and cultural ambassadors participating in the Winter Olympics held in South Korea. Since February, high-level negotiations between the two countries have begun, and Kim Jong-un proposed a direct meeting with Donald Trump, and then went on his first foreign trip to China. Cultural contacts have also helped improve relations between the two countries, one example being a performance by a South Korean pop music group in Pyongyang. After this historic concert, the South Korean Minister of Culture told CNN that it seems the North Korean leader is "sincere" about improving relations with the South. The leaders of the two Koreas are set to meet next week, which is seen as paving the way for a summit between the U.S. and North Korea. In recent days, news of a meeting between Mike Pompeo, the head of the CIA and nominee for U.S. Secretary of State, and Kim Jong-un has also emerged. He secretly traveled to North Korea and met with the North Korean leader for preliminary talks before the summit between the two countries' leaders. The meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un is expected to take place in late May or early June.