Tag: Kim Jong-un

I would think such a visit would only happen after a major denuclearization deal is struck. Though I am extremely skeptical of Kim ever fully denuclearizing, if he does commit to a real denuclearization deal he should be hosted at the White House:

U.S. President Donald Trump invited North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un to Washington, D.C., when the two leaders met at the Panmunjom truce village on Sunday. 

“I did,” Trump said when asked if he extended the invitation for Kim to come to the White House. “Actually, at some point it will all happen. When it all works out, at some point it will all happen.” 

Earlier he said, “I would invite him right now to the White House,” as the two leaders headed to Freedom House, on the southern side of the village, before holding private talks.

It was not clear if Kim accepted the offer. 

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

If Kim Jong-un does meet with President Trump at the DMZ, it seems that should be taken as a sign that the regime believes a deal to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Kumgang Tours is a real possibility. Meeting with the President at the DMZ would be a perfect opportunity for Kim to make his case for reopening the complex directly to the U.S. President:

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday he expects to have a “really interesting” visit to the inter-Korean border amid keen attention on the possibility of his meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un there.

He was speaking to pool reporters just before joining a welcome dinner hosted by President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook at Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul’s presidential office, shortly after his arrival in South Korea.

On a potential three-way summit between the two Koreas and the U.S. during his tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Sunday, Trump said, “We’re gonna see. We are working things out right now.”

When a reporter asked him about whether he has “heard anything” from North Korea, he said, “We have. Yes.” He did not elaborate.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Here is the latest penpal letter that President Trump has sent to Kim Jong-un:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has received a personal letter with “excellent” and “interesting” content from U.S. President Donald Trump, Pyongyang’s state media said Sunday.

“After reading the letter, the Supreme Leader of the Party, the state and the armed forces said with satisfaction that the letter is of excellent content,” the Korean Central News Agency said, referring to its leader.

“Appreciating the political judging faculty and extraordinary courage of President Trump, Kim Jong-un said that he would seriously contemplate the interesting content,” it added.

The KCNA did not disclose when and how the letter was delivered to Kim.

The letter appears to be in answer to a letter Kim sent to Trump recently in time for the anniversary of their first-ever summit in Singapore last June.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Chinese Emperor President Xi has decided to make a visit to the vassal allied state of North Korea this week:

Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a state visit to North Korea this week, the North’s state media reported Monday, marking his first trip to Pyongyang since becoming president.

Xi is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to North Korea from Thursday at the invitation of its leader Kim Jong-un, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

It will be the first visit by a Chinese leader to its communist neighbor in 14 years. Though Xi visited North Korea in 2008, he was China’s vice president at that time.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but this could be a sign that Kim Jong-un is preparing to agree to another summit with President Trump because Kim has traveled to China before other summits with the U.S. President.

It looks like President Trump is continuing his charm offensive with Kim Jong-un:

President Trump promised he wouldn’t allow the CIA to use spies against North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un after reports surfaced that Kim’s half brother had been a U.S. intelligence asset before he was assassinated in Malaysia.
Kim Jong Nam was killed in February 2017 — allegedly while he was en route to meet a CIA contact — by two women who sprayed a nerve agent in his face. U.S. officials quickly placed the blame for the killing on North Korea.
Trump, speaking to reporters on the White House lawn Tuesday before leaving on a campaign trip to Iowa, was asked about Kim Jong Nam’s spying, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
“I don’t know, I have not heard about that,” the president said, before contradicting himself and assuring Kim Jong Un that his administration wouldn’t do anything so underhanded.
“I saw the information about the CIA with respect to his brother or half brother, and I would tell him that would not happen under my auspices, that’s for sure,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t let that happen under my auspices.”

Yahoo News

You can read more at the link.

There have been so many false reports about the North Korean regime I find this report to be just another likely click bait headline:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly executed a general accused of plotting a coup by throwing him into a piranha-filled fish tank.
The unnamed general was said to be the latest victim of the dictatorial leader, who has executed numerous aides, including his envoy to the US in May.
The general was allegedly killed inside a giant piranha tank built inside Kim’s Ryongsong Residence, in Pyongyang, after being accused of plotting a coup, the Daily Star reported.

It is claimed the general had his arms and torso cut open with knives before being thrown into the tank, which was filled with hundreds of piranhas imported from Brazil, it is reported.  

Daily Mail

You can read more at the link.

Despite the sensational headlines, this story does not seem very well sourced:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the execution by firing squad of four foreign ministry officials after the failure of his Hanoi summit with Donald Trump, a report has claimed.
The officials were reportedly executed after the February talks between North Koreaand the US came to an end without any deal being made.
Pyongyang had accused the four officials of selling information to Washington before the Hanoi summit, according to a Japanese news agency.
The executions, which included a diplomat from North Korea’s embassy in Hanoi, have not been verified.

Asia Press claimed its reporter spoke to a trade official who was told the rumour about the executions.
It is claimed that the executions were watched by members of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea and Korean People’s Army.

Yahoo News

You can read more at the link, but increasingly in our news media rumors and innuendo are being treated as hard news.