For a more in-depth look at that story, we have with us Doctor Kim Chang-su from the
Korea Institute of Defense Analyses.
Doctor Kim thank you for joining us.
Thank you.
1 - As I mentioned earlier, President Trump has said several days ago that the time and
place for the North Korea summit will be announced soon.
And there are more reports coming from Seoul as well, that an announcement is imminent.
But while we've been anticipating this for days, it still hasn't come.
Do you think there has been a delay?
What do you think is holding up the announcement?
2 - Where do you think it will be?
What's your money on?
3 - Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is said to have spoken to senior Chinese
official Yang Jiechi on the phone.
Historically Washington and Beijing have had differing opinions on how to deal with North
Korea.
Do you think there are still differences?
4 - Over the weekend, the North's state media issued a stinging commentary towards the U.S.
It read, and I'm paraphrasing: "The U.S. is misleading the public opinion, saying that
sanctions and pressure led to North Korea wanting to denuclearize.
The U.S. is deliberately provoking North Korea... and it would not be conducive if the U.S.
miscalculates the peace-loving intention of North Korea as a sign of "weakness" and for
countries to continue pursuing pressure and military threats."
At the same time, the U.S. issued a statement calling for PVID-- permanent, verifiable,
and irreversible denuclearization.
How should these statements be interpreted?
Is this a sign that the summit is on the rocks or is it just a negotiation tactic between
the two sides before they meet?
5 - There is also the issue of the American citizens detained in North Korea.
Now there are rumours that they have been moved, and that Pyongyang is getting ready
to release them as, perhaps, a show of good faith before the summit takes place.
Do you think they will be released?
And when do you think it will happen?
6 - There is a story also developing today that says Kim Jong-un MIGHT have travelled
to Dalian to meet Chinese officials, possibly even to meet President Xi Jinping again.
Those reports have not yet been confirmed, so we're still waiting to see if Kim really
made the trip.
But do you think it's possible and why do you think he is there?
7 - Of course, South Korea is keeping a close watch on the developments, especially as last
week there were talks that the summit could take place in Panmunjom again, although talk
of that has died down.
Are there any concerns that things might go off track the later the announcement gets?
8 - Tomorrow the trilateral meeting between South Korea, Japan
and China takes place in Tokyo.
The headline topic of discussion is set to be North Korea.
What do you think will be main issues here?
9 - Japan is looking to include the plight of its kidnapped citizens in North Korea into
the joint statement, but it's unclear how hard they will push and how much South Korea
and China will be willing to include the issue.
What do you think Doctor?
10 - And just before we go, the two Koreas have started to implement components of the
Panmunjom Declaration, namely they put together a unified table tennis team last week, in
the
middle
of a competition in fact, and together
they
got
a bronze medal.
What significance can we take away from that?