by WorldTribune Staff, May 23, 2018
The positive momentum and good-will between the U.S. and North Korea in recent months was suddenly interrupted earlier this month as the North’s belligerent attitude returned.
In response, U.S. President Donald Trump pointed to a second meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and Chinese supreme leader Xi Jinping held May 7 and 8 in the Chinese city of Dalian.
“I will say I’m a little disappointed, because when Kim Jong-Un had the meeting with President Xi, in China, the second meeting – the first meeting we knew about – the second meeting – I think there was a little change in attitude from Kim Jong-Un,” Trump said. “So I don’t like that. I don’t like that.”
Trump said on May 23 that “We will know next week about Singapore,” acknowledging that there’s a “very substantial chance” the June 12 summit will be canceled.
“It could very well happen, whatever it is,” he said. “If we go, I think it’ll be a great thing.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 23 said the U.S. is fully prepared to back out of Korea talks.
“A bad deal is not an option. The American people are counting on us to get this right,” Pompeo said at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Trump took to Twitter to criticize Beijing on May 21: “China must continue to be strong & tight on the Border of North Korea until a deal is made. The word is that recently the Border has become much more porous and more has been filtering in.”
Following the second Kim-Xi meeting, North Korea also abruptly canceled high-level talks with Seoul and balked at its willingness to meet with Trump in Singapore on June 12. Pyongyang also criticized long-scheduled U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises and blasted John Bolton, Trump’s new national security adviser.
South Korean President Moon Jae-In attempted to alleviate Kim Jong-Un’s concerns as Moon withdrew from the Blue Lightning air-training exercise with the U.S. and Japan this month.
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‘I don’t like that’: Trump ties China to change in attitude by N. Korea added by World Tribune on
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