Trump Says He Is Still Considering Meeting with North Korean Leader

Donald Trump says he is still considering a potential meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore. Just hours before these remarks, the President of South Korea had urged the North Korean leader to make the necessary efforts to ensure that the scheduled meeting with Trump takes place. Trump expressed optimism about meeting Kim, stating, "Everything is going very well. Therefore, we are considering the meeting on June 12 in Singapore. This matter has not changed; we will see what happens." He emphasized that there is a "lot of positive will" and added that denuclearization in Korea would be "fantastic." The South Korean state news agency also reported that in a recent meeting between Moon Jae-in, the President of South Korea, and the North Korean leader, Moon urged Kim not to miss the negotiations with Donald Trump scheduled for June 12. The unexpected meeting between the two Korean leaders took place on May 26 in the Panmunjom village, located in the military demarcation line between the two countries. Less than a month ago, both sides had met and discussed at the same location. Moon expressed hope that Pyongyang would gain the "most benefit" from a potential meeting with the U.S. President. The official South Korean news agency quoted Kim Jong-un as saying he is determined to engage in negotiations with Trump. In their first meeting on April 27, Moon and Kim emphasized their commitment to denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and achieving a peace treaty. Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, both countries have remained in a state of armistice and have yet to reach a peace treaty. Seoul states that achieving peace and denuclearization is only possible if the U.S. also reaches an agreement with North Korea. Previously, Kim Jong-un had invited Donald Trump to negotiate. Trump accepted the invitation and announced he would meet Kim in Singapore on June 12. However, since then, some statements from senior U.S. officials have faced critical and relatively harsh reactions from North Korean officials. Pyongyang has protested the U.S. emphasis on pursuing the "Libya option," which means first complete denuclearization and then lifting sanctions. On May 24, Donald Trump abruptly canceled his planned meeting with Kim Jong-un. However, one day after the cancellation, the U.S. President stated that "very constructive discussions" had taken place with North Korea regarding the meeting; this, along with the recent statements from the North Korean leader and Trump's remarks, has once again strengthened the possibility of the Singapore summit.