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WORLD NEWS Saturday 26 May 2018

N. Korea keeps hopes of talks alive after Trump cancellation

By FOSTER KLUG Trump's cancellation of the
HYUNG-JIN KIM summit came amid mount-
Associated Press ing skepticism about the
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North's sincerity after the
North Korea said Friday that country's earlier threats to
it's still willing to sit for talks scrap the Kim-Trump sum-
with the United States "at mit. That may have been
any time, (in) any format," aimed at bolstering its ne-
a remarkably restrained gotiating position, rather
and diplomatic response, than killing the meeting.
from a nation noted for its "They wanted to face the
proud belligerence, to U.S. United States in a more
President Donald Trump's confident position. Obama
abrupt cancellation of a or (Bill) Clinton could have
summit with the North's au- accepted (these kinds of
tocratic leader, Kim Jong North Korean statements).
Un. But it's Trump. He's decid-
The statement by Vice ed not to enter talks while
Foreign Minister Kim Kye being pushed (by North
Gwan, a longtime nuclear Korea) like this," said Choi
negotiator and senior dip- Kang, vice president of
lomat, which said the North Seoul's Asan Institute for
is "willing to give the U.S. Policy Studies.
time and opportunities" to In this undated photo provided on Friday, May 25, 2018, by the North Korean government, North Koh Yu-hwan, a professor
Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the completed Koam-Tapchon Railways in Gangwon-do,
reconsider talks that had North Korea. at Seoul's Dongguk Univer-
been set for June 12 in Sin- Associated Press sity, said Kim's statement
gapore, could be driven by was "close to an apology
a need to use the summit meant to target the entire Moon urged direct talks ing made the bold deci- letter."
to ease crushing interna- U.S. mainland. Since Janu- between Trump and Kim to sion, which any other U.S. The North might have
tional sanctions, or by a de- ary, Kim has taken a radi- get things back on track. presidents dared not, and also sensed an opening in
termination that a summit cally softer approach to Many observers had ex- made efforts for such a cru- Trump's seemingly mixed
with the mercurial Trump foreign affairs, sending his pected a belligerent North cial event as the summit," messages.
is the best opportunity the sister to the Olympics in Korean response to Trump's Kim said. "His sudden and "I really believe Kim Jong Un
North will ever have to el- South Korea, meeting with cancellation, but the com- unilateral announcement wants to do what's right,"
evate itself, and its nuclear his South Korean counter- ments by Kim, the North's to cancel the summit is the U.S. president said
program, to equality with its part on their shared border vice foreign minister, something unexpected to at one point. Trump also
archrival. One analyst mar- and exploding parts of his seemed, at times, almost us and we cannot but feel said from the White House
veled that the North Kore- nuclear testing site Thurs- meek, and in stark contrast great regret for it." that a "maximum pressure
an response was "close to day in an apparent sign of to the bellicose declara- Kim speculated that Trump campaign" of economic
an apology letter." good faith. The Singapore tions last year of the North's may have "lacked the will sanctions and diplomatic
Regardless of the motiva- summit would have been willingness to pursue nucle- for the summit or he might isolation would continue
tion, Kim Kye Gwan's state- the culmination of this out- ar war. not have felt confident," against North Korea — with
ment is the latest whiplash reach. Kim said Pyongyang's "ob- but that the North has "ex- which the U.S. is technically
development in efforts Earlier comments by South jective and resolve to do erted sincere efforts" for still at war — but he added
to diplomatically address Korean President Moon our best for the sake of talks that "would mark a that it was possible the sum-
what might be the world's Jae-in, seen as a driving peace and stability of the meaningful starting point mit could still take place at
most dangerous standoff. force behind the summit Korean Peninsula and all for peace and security in some point.
Focus will now swing back and just returned to Seoul humankind remain un- the region and the world." In his statement to the
to how Trump will respond from a meeting with Trump changed." Kim said the Kim Dong-yub, a North Ko- North, Trump said: "If you
to the North's seemingly in Washington, suggested cancellation of the talks rea expert at Seoul's Insti- change your mind having
conciliatory gesture. that the South, a top U.S. shows "how grave the sta- tute for Far Eastern Studies, to do with this most impor-
The stakes are high. A ally and host to 28,500 U.S. tus of historically deep-root- said the North Korean re- tant summit, please do not
scrapping of diplomacy troops, was blindsided by ed hostile North Korea-U.S. sponse was notably "cour- hesitate to call me or write."
could see a return to the Trump's statement. Moon relations is and how urgent- teous, reserved and diplo- It was unclear whether
torrent of weapons tests — said he was "perplexed" ly a summit should be real- matically refined," which he Trump was engaged in
and the fears of war they at Trump's announcement ized to improve ties." said shows that Pyongyang what he saw as a negotiat-
created — that North Ko- that he was canceling the "As far as the historic is eager to talk with Wash- ing ploy or if his moves were
rea unleashed last year as summit because of what (North Korea)-U.S. summit ington and believes that a manifestation of mount-
it sought to put the finish- the U.S. president said was is concerned, we have in- the United States needs ing internal concerns over
ing touches on a nuclear- North Korea's "tremendous wardly highly appreciated more time to prepare for ensuring a successful out-
armed missile program anger and open hostility." President Trump for hav- the summit. come for the summit.q