Trump’s North Korea Comeback: A Second Summit on the Horizon
What Happened at the UN?
During a sit‑down with South Korean President Moon Jae‑in, President Trump made it clear that a follow‑up summit with Kim Jong Un is on the cards. “Chairman Kim has been really, very open and terrific, frankly,” he said, adding that Kim’s eagerness to make something happen is no secret.
Moon, who met Kim for a third time last week, brought Trump a personal note from the North Korean leader. The note promised a second meeting “soon” after Trump’s historic June 12 summit.
Pompeo’s Optimism
- Ready for a Plan B. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters that he intends to travel back to Pyongyang before the year ends to finalize preparations for the next summit. He said he’s confident it will happen.
- When asked if it would be before the end of the year, Pompeo responded, “Yes. God willing, I’ll be travelling before the end of the year.”
- He stressed that while Kim’s commitment to denuclearisation is encouraging, the road ahead is still long. “We’re bringing the two senior leaders together to move this process forward,” he said.
Kim’s Commitments – A Silver Lining?
At last week’s gathering with Moon, Kim pledged to dismantle a missile site and a nuclear complex, provided the United States takes “corresponding action.”
While the tone was optimistic, the promises fall short of Washington’s demand for a full inventory of North Korean weapons programs and irreversible steps toward denuclearisation.
From “Rocket Man” to a Game of Diplomacy
Last year’s UN General Assembly had Trump threating to “totally destroy” North Korea and playful exchanges, calling Kim a “Rocket Man” on a “suicide mission.” North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho shot back, labeling Trump’s remarks “the sound of a dog barking” and humorously warning that Korea could blow a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific.
Pompeo has proposed a meeting with Ri Yong Ho during this week’s General Assembly. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley confirmed that the two sides agreed on a meeting, but it may have to wait a bit longer.
All Eyes on the Next Chapter
With formalities set and the stage cleared, the next chapter in US‑North Korea relations sits poised for an encore. Whether the second summit will bring a decisive step towards denuclearisation remains to be seen, but the international community can’t help but watch the drama unfold.
