What is most notable about this is that the Kim regime apparently did not demand bags of cash to make this happen. It appears to be simply a good will gesture in response to the cancelling of the UFG exercise:
North Korean soldiers hand over to United Nations troops standing at the inter-Korean border a casket containing the remains of one of seventeen U.S. servicemen who served in the Korean War during repatriation ceremonies at the treaty village of Panmunjom, North Korea, July 12, 1993. REUTERS-Yonhap
The U.S. military plans to send 215 empty caskets to North Korea via the inter-Korean border on Saturday to get back the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War, a South Korean military official said.About 30 U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) vehicles carrying the caskets were scheduled to depart from the Camp Humphreys base in Pyeongtaek for the border village of Panmunjom on Saturday afternoon, the official said on condition of anonymity.
“North Korea will repatriate the remains in the caskets,” the official said.
Recovering and repatriating the remains of U.S. troops killed during the 1950-53 war was one of the agreements that U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reached during their historic summit in Singapore earlier this month. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but it is right now undetermined how the remains will be repatriated, but it is expected to happen in the next few days.
Cautiously optimistic. The Kims have never done anything without fat stacks of cash being delivered first. I’m sure fat stacks of cash will eventually be given over, but this one as well as ending sales of Anti-American propaganda apparently without having been paid first is a good sign.
Trust, but Verify.
setnaffa
5 years ago
I think that part of it is that Trump is the first US President who knew how to negotiate with douche-canoes. Pompeo at State and Mattis at DoD add a nice stick to any carrots Trump might wave around. Not to mention KJU has enjoyed a lot of things that are not yet available in Norkistani markets or restaurants.
@MTB Rider, this time around the Kim regime is acting differently from their usual MO. They must really think a huge pay day is coming up down the road to give up this many remains without demanding any payment. I would not be surprised if the North Koreans play nice for a while hoping some of the sanctions get dropped to allow Moon to start pouring cash into the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Gangwon-do tours before taking any real action on denuclearization.
2ID Doc
5 years ago
I’m trying to figure out this whole new charm offensive. In the old days, the charm stopped as soon as daddy and grandpa got what they wanted, then it was “Get off My Lawn”. Kim Fatty the Third is still playing nice even after he got what he wanted, to be seen as allowed to eat at the adults table as the leader of a country (pun intended). I suppose we will see what unfolds over the next months.
@2ID Doc, the Kim regime does not get what they want until the sanctions are dropped and Moon can show them the money. The challenge for the regime is to get the sanctions dropped while still keeping their nuclear capability. That is why Moon and Kim have been buttering up Trump in the hope that he will agree to drop sanctions before denuclearization.
Despite President Donald Trump’s boast at a rally that he had secured the remains of U.S. troops killed during the Korean War, his secretary of state says North Korea is yet to send any.
Around 7,700 U.S. soldiers remain unaccounted for from the conflict, the majority of whom are presumed dead in North Korea. As the U.S. military moved 100 wooden coffins to the border between North and South Korea in preparation last week, as Trump told a rally in Minnesota: “we got back our great fallen heroes, the remains, in fact today already 200 have been sent back.”
Speaking to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not confirm the president’s comments, when Senator Cynthia Shaheen raised the issue of the Korean War dead, asking it on behalf of charity workers who have dedicated years to repatriating the remains of U.S. soldiers missing in action.
“I am optimistic that we will begin to have two opportunities, one is to receive some remains in the not-too-distant future but then there is a great deal of work with companies like the one you described, nonprofits,” Pompeo said. Asked if this meant that the U.S. had in fact not yet received the remains, Pompeo confirmed that was correct. “We have not yet physically received them.”
More at the link, of course. Nothing happens instantly, especially with the North “acting in good faith” and not for a specific, cash on the barrelhead type of deal. They tend to be quicker when they see and smell those greenbacks.
Patience is one thing, being played for as chumps in another thing entirely. 😐
Glad our soldiers can finally come home.
Cautiously optimistic. The Kims have never done anything without fat stacks of cash being delivered first. I’m sure fat stacks of cash will eventually be given over, but this one as well as ending sales of Anti-American propaganda apparently without having been paid first is a good sign.
Trust, but Verify.
I think that part of it is that Trump is the first US President who knew how to negotiate with douche-canoes. Pompeo at State and Mattis at DoD add a nice stick to any carrots Trump might wave around. Not to mention KJU has enjoyed a lot of things that are not yet available in Norkistani markets or restaurants.
@MTB Rider, this time around the Kim regime is acting differently from their usual MO. They must really think a huge pay day is coming up down the road to give up this many remains without demanding any payment. I would not be surprised if the North Koreans play nice for a while hoping some of the sanctions get dropped to allow Moon to start pouring cash into the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Gangwon-do tours before taking any real action on denuclearization.
I’m trying to figure out this whole new charm offensive. In the old days, the charm stopped as soon as daddy and grandpa got what they wanted, then it was “Get off My Lawn”. Kim Fatty the Third is still playing nice even after he got what he wanted, to be seen as allowed to eat at the adults table as the leader of a country (pun intended). I suppose we will see what unfolds over the next months.
@2ID Doc, the Kim regime does not get what they want until the sanctions are dropped and Moon can show them the money. The challenge for the regime is to get the sanctions dropped while still keeping their nuclear capability. That is why Moon and Kim have been buttering up Trump in the hope that he will agree to drop sanctions before denuclearization.
Empty promises?
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korea-has-not-returned-soldiers-remains-pompeo/
More at the link, of course. Nothing happens instantly, especially with the North “acting in good faith” and not for a specific, cash on the barrelhead type of deal. They tend to be quicker when they see and smell those greenbacks.
Patience is one thing, being played for as chumps in another thing entirely. 😐