The United States is working toward a second summit between President Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un, although the parameters are still in the process of being established.
Reuters reports Kim Jong Un had expressed his desire for a second summit with Trump after a three-day with South Korea President Moon Jae-In. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News in a Sept. 21 interview that “there’s still a little bit of work to do left to make sure the conditions are right and that the two leaders are put in a position where we can make substantial progress.”
Pompeo also told NBC News, “I’m hopeful that I’ll get a chance to travel again to Pyongyang to continue to negotiate before too long. And then before too long – and in relatively short order – I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredible, important issue for the entire world.”
The two sides are planning on discussing denuclearization and an official end to the Korean War, which concluded with an armistice in 1953. However, both the United States and South Korea are concerned that an official end to the war would result in calls from Russia, China and possibly North Korea to have the United Nations Command (UNC) leave South Korea. The UNC is headed by the United States and stationed in South Korea to uphold the current armistice agreement.
Kim has been reportedly willing to dismantle North Korea’s major nuclear facility in Yongbyon in front of inspectors as well as allow inspectors into Punggye-ri, where inspectors were previously not allowed to see the dismantling of the nuclear site.
Pompeo has said that sanctions on North Korea would be upheld until “final denuclearization” takes place.
