Trump: North Korea Will Halt Missile Tests During 'Meetings'

On Saturday, March 9, the U.S. President announced that North Korea has promised to halt missile tests 'during meetings.' Donald Trump tweeted: 'North Korea has not conducted any missile tests since November 28, 2017, and has promised not to do so during our meetings. I believe they will adhere to this commitment!' According to Reuters, the White House has not yet set a date for a meeting between U.S. President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but Trump has stated that he will meet with him. This development follows an announcement by South Korea's National Security Advisor on Thursday in the U.S., stating that Kim Jong-un invited Trump for a meeting, which the U.S. President accepted. Chung Eui-yong added that Kim Jong-un has promised to stop North Korea's nuclear and missile tests. Trump emphasized on Friday that if an agreement is reached with North Korea, it would be very good for the world. Reuters reports that the White House has faced severe criticism for agreeing to negotiations, and therefore announced on Friday that the two leaders would not meet unless North Korea takes 'real steps' regarding its nuclear program. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported on Trump's phone calls with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. After these calls, Trump stated that China is pleased that he is pursuing a diplomatic solution to the North Korean crisis rather than 'seeking a dark option,' and Japan has also shown 'great enthusiasm' for holding meetings. He tweeted that the Chinese President appreciated the U.S. for 'seeking to solve this problem diplomatically rather than pursuing a dark option.' Previously, Trump had threatened North Korea with 'fire and fury the world has never seen before.' In his tweet, Trump added that China will continue to support this process. Trump has repeatedly urged Beijing to exert more pressure on Pyongyang to abandon its missile and nuclear programs. In another tweet, he referenced his phone call with the Japanese Prime Minister, stating that Abe has shown 'great enthusiasm' for negotiating with North Korea and that they both discussed how to reduce the trade deficit between the U.S. and Japan. Relations between Washington and Pyongyang have become extremely tense since Donald Trump took office, coinciding with North Korea's missile tests. Over the past year, very severe sanctions have been imposed by both the U.S. and the UN Security Council against North Korea, and it seems that Pyongyang's green light for a meeting between the two leaders has been influenced by these sanctions.