Ahead of Summit #2, North Korea says it wants to transform peninsula into “Peace Zone”
Reports indicate that a letter delivered to White House included “more detailed plans” by North Korea toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal.
As a follow-up to the historic Singapore Summit, we noted that President Donald Trump plans to hold a second summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in February.
Korean sources indicate that Kim will travel to Vietnam for a state visit “after the Feb. 4-8 lunar new year” holiday.
The sources stopped short of clarifying if Kim’s trip would be related to his much-anticipated summit with Trump. Vietnam’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.
Recent media reports have said that both Hanoi and the central Vietnamese city of Danang could be possible summit locations. The Thai capital of Bangkok has also been mentioned as a candidate site.
Intriguingly, this development occurs shortly after North Korea’s official newspaper called for efforts to turn the Korean Peninsula into a “peace zone” free of war threats.
“Turning the Korean Peninsula into a zone for solid peace is the basic way to open the heyday of peace, prosperity and reunification,” the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North’s ruling party, said in a commentary.
“Only when we make the peninsula into a zone for lasting and solid peace will our people be able to enjoy a peaceful and stable life and build prosperity for future generations as well.”
North Korea’s leader has expressly stated that he is looking for a breakthrough in advancing talks aimed at disbanding his regime’s nuclear program as he hopes to avoid more confrontation, a Cheong Wa Dae official told The Korea Times, Friday. In fact, the letter delivered to the White House indicates more robust denuclearlization plans.
“Kim Yong-chol, Pyongyang’s lead negotiator in denuclearization with the United States, plans to deliver a handwritten letter from Kim Jong-un to U.S. President Donald Trump during his few hours in the United States,” the official said by telephone asking not to be identified.
Details of the letter have yet to be known. But the soon-to-be-delivered letter included “more detailed plans” by North Korea toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal and reaffirmation by its leader to move forward with Pyongyang’s roadmap on how to gradually retire its hypersonic and cruise missiles, according to the official.
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Comments
Pushing for the Walter Duranty Award?
Perhaps we should just send Hillary. She did such a good job in Libya.
I’d advocated sending Hellary to the NORK…
IF we were assured they’d keep her.
A peace zone would allow the evil dictator to remain in power and continue his enslavement of million of NK citizens.
One step at a time. Not all countries can reach a steady state democracy in a few months.
Conrad,
It seems the best actual chance at peace would involve kim Jong.
This isn’t Libya and we don’t have children in the WH so there us a very good chance that Trump will actually earn and deserve his Nobel Peace prize.
But, but, but – Russians! Racist! Strippers!…
Reassuring Kim that he will be safe is the most important thing.
Kim has travelled; he knows his country is impoverished. How they keep North Koreans from learning this as they try to move towards friendly relations – which would include easy travel from the north to the south – eludes me, as does how he would keep North Koreans under thumb.
But reassuring Kim that he won’t be deposed or tried for crimes against humanity is important.