Will 2nd Trump-Kim summit break logjam?

US President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 and 28. “I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim & advancing the cause of peace!” he noted.

It is widely believed that both sides will take the opportunity to make a deal on denuclearization.

First, both sides should make concessions. Washington should conditionally relieve the extreme pressure it has piled up on Pyongyang, relax its complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement position on the nuclear issue, and ease sanctions against North Korea. In exchange, North Korea should step up nuclear disarmament and allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to conduct inspection.

Second, Washington and Pyongyang should agree on a new road map. To maintain regional peace and international order, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is an unshakable principle. Since Washington does not recognize Beijing’s plan to resolve the Korean nuclear issue, a new road map should be drafted at the summit to plan for North Korea’s denuclearization and the US’ corresponding measures. This is a serious issue involving international ethics and political responsibility, and as well a yardstick for measuring the summit’s outcome.

Nonetheless, it should be noted that possible US concessions may not come about out of consideration for North Korea’s plight. After his administration has been more than halfway, Trump has seen a stagnant denuclearization process. As a former businessman, he will definitely take a new path to improve his diplomatic skills.

The landmark meeting between Trump and Kim in Singapore on June 12 last year was not followed by a smooth denuclearization process.

In a single summit, Kim could not figure out whether Washington would end its hostile policy after his country abandoned its nuclear program. The US can tolerate a stalemate and procrastination, but North Korea cannot in the long run. The key to lifting the sanctions against Pyongyang is in the hands of Washington, and Kim must come up with a new plan to reopen the door to better US-North Korea relations.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview on January 18 that denuclearization “would be a long process,” and discussions as “reduce(ing) North Korea’s capacity to build out their program” are “an important component for… the commitments that were made in Singapore between Chairman Kim and President Trump.” Critics say since after the first meeting North Korea is yet to truly denuclearize as far as giving up weapons and longrange missiles is concerned, the US is probably ready to accept Pyongyang’s phased denuclearization plan.

Kim stated in his 2019 New Year address that “I am always ready to sit together with the U.S. president anytime in the future, and will work hard to produce results welcomed by the international community without fail.” Before Pompeo’s visit to North Korea in early October last year, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyungwha said that North Korea “will permanently dismantle their nuclear facilities in Yongbyon… in return for America’s corresponding measures, such as the end-of-war declaration.” But beyond that, it seems Pyongyang has not done much like drafting a denuclearization schedule.

Uncertainty remains on whether the second summit will be able to reach a deal. A phased denuclearization proposed by the US – freeze testing, cap arsenals and disarmament – won’t be immediately accepted by North Korea.

Meanwhile, what Pyongyang cares about – declaration to end the Korean War and replacement of the armistice agreement with a peace treaty – will not be on the agenda of this summit.

In addition, owing to the lack of US consistency over its North Korean policy, it remains unclear how much Trump and the Democrat-controlled Congress value an agreement with Pyongyang. Going by inflammatory remarks of some South Korean conservatives, there is a fear that any agreement reached in the second summit may result in the legalization of North Korea’s nuclear program.

The author is professor and director of the School of International Politics, Institute of Politics and Public Management, Yanbian University. opinion@ globaltimes.com.cn