Originally appeared at Zero Hedge
Update: President Trump has tweeted his first remarks since accepting the invitation to meet with North Korean leader Kim. Trump explained the background:
“Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. “
And noted confidently that:
“Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!”
Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 9 March 2018
Oh to be a fly on the wall at that meeting!
* * *
As we detailed earlier, while speaking to reporters at the White House, South Korean envoy Chung Eui-Yong said, and the White House confirmed, that Trump has accepted to meet Kim Jong Un, by some time in May, in what would be a historic first: no sitting American president has ever met a North Korean leader.
Here is the White House confirmation:
- TRUMP TO ACCEPT INVITE TO MEET WITH N. KOREA’S KIM: WHITE HOUSE
His full remarks below:
WATCH: Full remarks of South Korean security adviser Chung Eui-Yong: “Kim [Jong Un] pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests.” https://t.co/R1pNb0btCG pic.twitter.com/DbLdAosam3
— Fox News (@FoxNews) 9 March 2018
Chung Eui-yong made the announcement during a news conference outside the White House after meeting with Trump administration officials. Chung said the North Korean leader has expressed his “eagerness to meet with President Trump as soon as possible.”
SoKo security adviser Chung Eui-Yong: “[Kim Jong Un] expressed his eagerness to meet @realDonaldTrump as soon as possible.” pic.twitter.com/6Hzactb9oH
— Fox News (@FoxNews) 9 March 2018
Chung had led a South Korean delegation earlier in the week on a historic trip to Pyongyang. During the trip, the envoys became the first South Korean officials to meet with Kim since he took power in 2011.
Earlier this week, the South Korean envoys announced that Kim told them he is willing to begin negotiations with the United States on abandoning nuclear weapons and that he would suspend all nuclear and missile tests while engaged in talks.
SoKo security adviser Chung Eui-Yong: “Kim pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests.” pic.twitter.com/qdDW5WuUH4
— Fox News (@FoxNews) 9 March 2018
Chung also told Trump that Kim Jong Un “said he’s committed to denuclearization.”
SoKo security adviser Chung Eui-Yong: “I told @POTUS that in our meeting, that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he’s committed to denuclearization.” pic.twitter.com/7eI8P5a3a7
— Fox News (@FoxNews) 9 March 2018
While the Trump administration greeted the offer cautiously, expressing both hope that talks can happen and skepticism at Kim’s sincerity, Trump “appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization.”
SoKo security adviser Chung Eui-Yong: “@realDonaldTrump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization.” pic.twitter.com/YyQA9v6gTQ
— Fox News (@FoxNews) 9 March 2018
Trump’s eagerness to meet is at odds with what SecState Rex Tillerson said earlier today on North Korea: “We’re a long way from negotiations. We just need to be very clear-eyed and realistic about it.”
Chung added that he “explained to POTUS that his leadership and his maximum pressure policy together with international solidarity brought us to this juncture.”
As reported earlier, Trump had touted the announcement Thursday night to reporters at the White House before it was delivered by the South Korean official, characterizing it as “major.”
“It’s almost beyond that,” Trump told ABC News’s Jonathan Karl when asked if the announcement was about negotiations. “Hopefully, you will give me credit.”
Finally, where will the two meet? TBD:
- WHITE HOUSE SAYS TIME, PLACE OF MEETING YET TO BE DETERMINED
* * *
Earlier
In typical reality show style, President Trump managed to build up a wall of suspense ahead of tonight’s South Korean delegation announcement at 7pm. However, it appears that much of this excitement may be for nothing: according to CNN and Fox leaks, the announcement will be far less exciting than the “denuclearization” declaration some had expected, and instead Kim Jong Un invited Trump to meet in the message that was delivered by the South Korean delegation.
#breaking North Korea leader Kim Jong Un invited US President Trump to meet in the message that was delivered by the South Korean delegation, according to a senior US official and a former US senior official.
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) 8 March 2018
Whether Trump will accept the invitation, and what conditions he may have will likely be unveiled in the next few hours. However, if the president was hoping to offset his “trade war” with a diplomatic detente with a potential “nuclear war” opponent, this may be just the right opportunity.
Sure kimmie had to move, because zhe unstable economy of north korea would crash. And the revolution would be fatal for their filthy clan.
You will be red faced when you learn the truth
i know the truth ;)
Glad to hear it,mate
Mr Trump desperately needs the credit,to feed his EGO and secondly to show the world he does want peace and good on him.He,like all of us has his faults. Things are going to change for the better,he might be full of himself but he gets things done pronto!
The Koreans have put Trump in the corner. He has nothing but sanctions to boast about. Well done Koreans!
May be a cautious welcome is in order if this turns out to be true. However, I think disarming in the face of US threats is a dangerous route. Agreements can be made, but then can quickly be broken. I am fairly convinced that N Korea would have been attacked already had it not been for its nuclear weapons. Agreements made with the USA are no real protection and I would not put any faith in them.
Don’t give your nukes Kim if you do they will attack you immediately after that and there will be no north korea. Same as Iraq but in Iraq they knew that there is not WMDs and enter and killed everything, but you N Korea you have WMDs and that’s the only way that the US is not invaded you by now. Whatever guarantees can Americans give, when the Americans kept their word, no one can guarantee you Kim that if you give your Nuke program that the US will attack you they are dogs ugly dogs and they will bite you soon as you hand over your program and they will kill you same as Gaddafi and they will make hell in the country and that will be it. No de-nuking in anyway keep the dogs away from you, they will never ever attack you if you have WMDs.
Exactly. You cannot make a deal with the devil. Milosevic, Saddam, Gaddafi, even Assad, all of them tried to reconcile with the Empire, and instead they were all attacked eventually. Psychos from WashingtonDC see this as a sign of weakness (the first one), if Kim surrenders his nukes it will be his undoing. Their “guarantees” are not worth the paper they are written on.
North Korea is opening up, something is going on. Still, NK shouldn’t lose their nukes, that would screw them a big time.
Kim is zionist :)))))
Its just political statements because north koreans are not idiots ,they worked hard to reach the nuclear power and now it’s unthinkable to going back. With the “reconciliation ” between both korea ,usa has nothing to do but just agree because they have never stopped claiming that Nk threats Sk and japon now they must shut up their mouth
Kim Jong Un lost all credibility by willing to meet with the terrorist Trump.