LANHEE CHEN FROM HOOVER
INSTITUTE.
PETER BROOKES, SENIOR FELLOW FOR
NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS AT
HERITAGE.
WELCOME TO YOU BOTH.
WE HAD NEW INFORMATION, SOME
WHICH GREG TALKED ABOUT IN HIS
REPORT.
LANHEE, SOMETHING CAME IN HOUR
OR SO AHEAD OF THE MEETING.
KIM JONG-UN HAS MOVED UP
DEPARTURE TIME.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL LEAVE A BIT
EARLIER THAN PLANNED.
DO YOU READ INTO THAT OR NO?
>> CONNELL, I DON'T READ TOO
MUCH INTO IT.
THE BOTTOM LINE HERE, THIS IS A
POINT THAT YOUR REPORTER MADE
THERE IN THE STAND-UP FROM
SEOUL, A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT
WILL HAPPEN WILL HAPPEN AFTER
THIS MEETING.
THIS MEETING IS GREAT FOR THE
PHOTO-OP GREAT FOR CAMERAS WHAT
IT REPRESENTS.
AS FAR AS HAVING
DENUCLEARIZATION ON KOREAN
PENINSULA, THAT WILL MEAN A LOT
MORE.
I WOULDN'T READ TOO MUCH INTO
THIS MEETING ENDING EARLIER THAN
EXPECTED.
CONNELL: THAT IS FAIR.
PRESIDENT IS TALKING ABOUT A
PROCESS.
SETTING SOME EXPECTATION GOING
IN OR LOWER SOME EXPECTATION
GOING IN.
PETER LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN GREG'S
REPORT.
THIS WHOLE IDEA THAT SECRETARY
OF STATE MIKE POMPEO FIRST SAID
THAT THE U.S. IS PREPARED TO
MAKE SECURITY ASSURANCES FOR THE
NORTH IF THEY AGREE TO
DENUCLEARIZATION.
TO GREG'S POINT, SECRETARY MAT
IS COMING OUT IN THE STATES
SAYING TROOPS IN THE NORTH KOREA
APPARENTLY NOT ON THE TABLE.
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
>> THERE IS A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT
THERE REGARDING SECURITY
GUARANTIES.
THERE IS CONFIDENCE AND
SECURITY-BUILDING MEASURES.
PERHAPS DOING THINGS LIKE
ANNOUNCING EXERCISES.
HAVE NORTH KOREANS OBSERVE SOUTH
KOREAN U.S. EXERCISES.
DISPOSITION OF U.S. FORCES.
I MEAN THERE IS A WHOLE HOST OF
THINGS OUT THERE THAT COULD BE
DONE.
NOW IN THE SHORT TERM, YOU DON'T
WANT TO CHANGE THE GAME TOO MUCH
IN TERMS OF OUR TROOPS TO MAKE
SURE NORTH KOREA DOESN'T HAVE
SOMETHING UP ITS SLEEVES.
OVER TIME, CONNELL, YOU COULD
MOVE FORCES BACK AWAY FROM THE
DMZ, WHAT THE NORTH KOREANS CAN
DO, SO ANY SORT OF ATTACK YOU
WOULD HAVE MORE STRATEGIC
WARNING OF IT.
THERE IS A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS
THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED OUT
THERE.
CONNELL: THERE IS WHOLE LOT OF
WAYS THEY COULD GO.
THE WAY CHINA REACTS MIGHT BE
MORE INTERESTING IN SOME WAYS
RATHER THAN WHAT WE DO IN THE
UNITED STATES OR WHAT THE NORTH
KOREANS DO, LANHEE.
THE CHINESE PUT SANCTIONS IN
PLACE AGAINST NORTH KOREA, BASED
HOW THIS GOES WHAT WILL THEY DO
WITH THE SANCTIONS, ROLL THEM
BACK, BE MORE FRIENDLY, WHAT
ROLE WILL CHINA PLAY AFTER
TODAY?
>> KEEP AN EYE ON CHINA.
I THINK THEY WILL PLAY A VERY
IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS ENTIRE
PROCESS.
I THINK THEY HAVE A VERY, VERY
SERIOUS SORT OF APPROXIMATE
CONCERN WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENING
ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA NEXT
DOOR TO WHERE THEY ARE BUT
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE CONCERNED
ABOUT THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
IN THE REGION.
OBVIOUSLY CHINA'S GOAL IS
REGIONAL HEGEMONY.
THAT THERE IS THREE DIMENSIONAL
CHESS GOING ON, CHINA TALKING
WITH THE U.S. ON TRADE AND
INFLUENCING NORTH KOREA.
I WILL KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT
HAPPENS IF NOT DIRECTLY
BUTTHROUGH OF THE NORTH KOREANS.
CONNELL: PETER, KICK THOUGHT ON
THAT FROM YOU AND WHERE IS YOUR
LEVEL OF EXPECTATION GOING INTO
THIS?
SEEMS PEOPLE ARE SETTING THE BAR
SOMEWHERE.
>> VERY MODEST.
I'M TRYING TO BE CAUTIOUSLY
OPTIMISTIC BUT I'M VERY
SKEPTICAL BASED ON OUR HISTORY
WITH NORTH KOREA.
NORTH KOREA'S INVOLVEMENT OR
PERFORMANCE ON PREVIOUS ARMS
CONTROL AGREEMENTS.
I'M KEEPING IT MODEST.
THINK THEY'RE RIGHT IT'S A FIRST
STEP IN A LONG JOURNEY.
CONNELL: ANYTHING, LANHEE,
PRESIDENT HAS TO BE CAREFUL OF?
SOME TALKED ABOUT IDEA OF A
PICTURE, ESPECIALLY NOTHING BIG
OUT OF SUBSTANCE, MIGHT BE SEEN,
PROPAGANDA THAT MIGHT BE USED?
>> I THINK WE --
>> SORRY.
CONNELL: GO AHEAD, LANHEE, REAL
QUICK.
GO AHEAD.
>> BE CAREFUL HERE BECAUSE THE
NORTH KOREAN REGIME, THESE ARE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD SOME
SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN THE PAST,
SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN
RIGHTS.
SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO
BE APPEAR TO BE TOO COZY WITH
THEM.
CONNELL: EXACTLY.
WE HAVE TO WRAP IT UP.
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE HUMAN
RIGHTS ISSUE WILL COME UP.
WITH ALL THESE THINGS, ONCE THE