In the last run-up to our special pre-summit reports from the perspective from stakeholder
nations,... today we turn to the U.S., who await their own North Korea summit expected
to come in June.
It's still unclear what to expect from the Trump-Kim meeting, but a successful inter-Korean
summit will have to come first.
Kwon Jang-ho brings us this report from the U.S.
When South Korea's National Security Advisor visited the White House in early March few
anticipated what would happen next.
"He expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible.
President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong-un by May"
"When President Trump suddenly accepted Kim Jong-un's invitation to meet, Washington was
caught off guard.
There’s been some time for the move to be digested, but opinions and hopes for the U.S.-North
Korea summit remain mixed."
Trump's seemingly unilateral decision to hold talks as soon as possible has turned the traditional
order of diplomacy upside down.
The extensive negotiations that normally take place before leaders meet has been cut short
due to lack of time.
"There is very little that I think those of us who have been in the world of diplomacy
would call normal about the upcoming meeting...
I find it hard to believe they can go far down the road in substance.
There may be general agreement but general agreement in the past between the DPRK and
the USA hasn't been such a terrific idea, without details laid on and the verification
and the monitoring laid on with those details."
However, there are some who argue that it could prove to be the spark that moves things
forward.
"It is the opposite pattern of the way that diplomatic negotiations are normally conducted.
However there is a tradition, especially in Asia, of the sort of big men getting together,
having a cup of tea, sort of sorting things out and leaving the details to their subordinates.
That's what I see from these two individuals."
"Everyone and their cousin would say do it the other way around, have all the diplomats
first and the summit is the cherry on the top, the summit meeting the two leaders comes
last.
On the other hand, we've been doing it that way for 65 years and nothing has changed on
the Peninsula."
For a successful meeting, experts agree that South Korea has a crucial role to play in
its own summit with the North.
"One hopes that the South Koreans are able to make some progress in setting the stage
for a US-DPRK discussion on denuclearization.
And it would be great if there was a direct reference to denuclearization as part of what
President Moon and Kim Jong un are able to agree upon."
"The inter-Korean process is and needs to be central if we're going to get someplace.
And one of the things that I actually find most significant and hopefully encouraging
about what's going on now is that the Republic of Korea has played such an important role
as a catalyst and as a shaper."
With so many uncertainties, expectations for the U.S.-North Korea summit remain modest.
But considering the tensions last year, North Korea watchers for now are breathing a sigh
of relief, and hoping it can pave the way for progress in the future.
"We don't want to be too optimistic here.
It's not like tomorrow North Korea is going to denuclearize and open up to trade and we'll
have peace on the peninsula.
Right.
That's not going to happen.
So don't set it up as the goal.
But can we move the needle in the direction of less conflict?
Absolutely.
And I think that will count as success."
"The very least, we want to move further away from the initiation of hostilities.
If we can get through these two summits, we can get improvement in the atmosphere and
start a process we would be doing very well."
Kwon Jang-ho, Arirang News, Washington D.C.