Trump calls off Singapore summit with North Korea
STRONG WARNING US prez says military ready if N Korea acts foolishly, says ‘maximum pressure’ to continue
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday called off his planned June summit with Kim Jong Un, blaming “tremendous anger” and “hostility” from the North Korean regime and warning Pyongyang against committing any “foolish or reckless acts.” In a letter to Kim, Trump announced he would not go ahead with the high-stakes meeting set for Jun 12 in Singapore.
WASHINGTON/SEOUL: US President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled his upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over what he said was “anger and open hostility” from the hermit nation.
In a letter to Kim, Trump started by reminding him that it was North Korea that requested the meeting and said: “I was very much looking forward to being there with you (in Singapore). Sadly, based on tremendous anger and open hostility displayed by in your recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this, long planned meeting”.
He was perhaps referring to a statement made by a North Korean official on Thursday, in which vice president Mike Pence was attacked for his “ignorant and stupid remarks”.
In his letter, Trump wrote: “If you change your mind having to do with this most important meeting, please do not hesitate to call me or write.”
He also cautioned Kim: “You speak about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used.”
There was no response from North Korea to the letter.
In later remarks from the White House, Trump warned that the US military is “ready if necessary” to respond to any “foolish or reckless act” by Pyongyang, and that he has spoken to allies Japan and South Korea.
He also said sanctions against North Korea would continue as part of the campaign of “maximum pressure”.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed deep regret on Thursday over Trump’s decision, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Blue House executive office.
“I am very perplexed and it is very regrettable that the North Korea-US summit will not be held on June 12 when it was scheduled to be held,” Moon was quoted as saying at a meeting with his top security officials.
Trump and Kim were scheduled to meet in Singapore on June 12 for what was expected to be a historic and groundbreaking summit. Among the many objectives it sought was an end to the Korean War — Seoul and Pyongyang have only signed an armistice agreement — and the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
However, the prospects of the talks going ahead as scheduled had become uncertain in recent days. Trump told a visiting Moon that the summit could be cancelled or postponed. He had not cited any reasons but said he had noticed a change in the attitude of North Koreans after a recent, and second, visit by Kim to China.
Statements from North Korean officials had suddenly turned sharp and were marked by the kind of insulting tone language commonly used by them before the recent warming of ties.