According to South Korean President Moon Jae, US President Donald Trump wants to fulfill all of North Korea’s wishes in the event of nuclear disarmament in the country.
In addition, he should convey the message to the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he (Trump) „have a friendly opinion of him and like him,“ said Moon on the flight from the G20 summit in Argentina to New Zealand before journalists. The presidential office in Seoul had reiterated Moons‘ comments that Trump met in Buenos Aires this Friday on Monday.
Trump hopes, according to Moons, that Kim will implement Pyongyang’s disarmament arrangements with Washington. „He wants to do what Kim wants him to do.“
In June, Kim expressed his disarmament will at the historic summit meeting with Trump in Singapore. So far, however, he has made no concrete commitments as to when and how his existing nuclear weapons and rocket arsenal should be dismantled. Also, it is still unclear what the consideration of the US look like. The leadership in Pyongyang demands „synchronous steps“ from the USA.
Moon said that from his point of view, the „corresponding measures“ of the US included not only a lifting of sanctions against North Korea. It could also be a further shift or reduction of common military maneuvers of the US with South Korea or „humanitarian aid and even a non-political exchange in the field of sport and culture“.
Trump and Moon also talked about their intention to meet Kim again. Moon wants Kim to be the first North Korean ruler to come to Seoul as soon as possible, as agreed at her summit in Pyongyang in September. The position of the government is unchanged, that Kim’s visit could take place before the end of this year, said a spokesman for the Unification Ministry in Seoul.
It is currently unclear whether Pyongyang is aiming for an inter-Korean summit ahead of another meeting between Trump and Kim. Trump had promised to hold such a meeting early next year. It is expected to take place in January or February, Trump said on the night of Sunday’s return flight from the G20 summit. A place has not yet been set. Three places would be up for discussion.
