Trump: The Libya Model Will Not Be Applied to North Korea

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, attempted to reassure North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that if Pyongyang denuclearizes, he will remain in power and that the Libya model and Muammar Gaddafi's fate will not be applied to North Korea. Trump's remarks were made on Thursday as North Korea threatened to cancel the summit between the U.S. and North Korea leaders, casting uncertainty over a potentially historic meeting. Speaking to reporters, Trump emphasized that if the meeting is successful, Kim Jong-un will receive 'support that will make him very powerful.' Trump added, 'He will stay in his country and run it. His country will become wealthy.' According to a report by AFP on the latest developments in Washington-Pyongyang relations, comments made by John Bolton, the White House National Security Advisor, and his comparison of North Korea to Libya have caused fear and concern among North Korean officials. Bolton had stated that the disarmament of Libya would serve as a model for the U.S. approach towards North Korea. Muammar Gaddafi, the former leader of Libya, agreed to eliminate his country's nuclear program and destroy its chemical weapons in 2003 in exchange for the lifting of sanctions against Libya. Less than a decade later, Gaddafi was overthrown and ultimately killed following a popular uprising and NATO intervention. Trump stated, 'The Libya model is in no way a model we are considering for North Korea. If you look at Gaddafi's model, it was complete destruction. We went into that country to hit it.' He then warned Pyongyang that if no agreement is reached, that model is likely to be repeated, 'but if we can reach an agreement, I think Kim Jong-un will be very, very satisfied.' The U.S. President concluded by stating that nothing has yet been finalized regarding his meeting with the North Korean leader, and discussions about the location and nature of the meeting are still ongoing. The meeting between the U.S. and North Korean leaders is scheduled for June 12, equivalent to Khordad 22. In this context, North Korea's threat to cancel the meeting with Trump in the event of unilateral pressure for nuclear disarmament has led to the suspension of U.S. negotiations with South Korea. The U.S. Secretary of State stated that if North Korea accepts nuclear disarmament, it will benefit its economy.