We’ve Kim a long way
Trump claims He axes US war N. Korea will get games and says rid of their nukes world will change
DONALD Trump’s historic first meeting with Kim Jong-un ended with warm handshakes, back-patting and promises to scrap nukes in the region.
Trump made a concession to halt “war game” military exercises with South Korea in Kim’s back yard, without much in return.
He seemed more interested in selling Kim a dream on his iPad at the five-hour summit.
The 34-year-old North Korean dictator was shown Trump’s four-minute “moment of destiny” video spelling out a choice of a bright future or a return to the dark past.
The US president, 71, painted a vision of “the world’s top hotels” at beaches where Kim currently fires “cannons in the ocean”. He even treated the North Korean leader to a look inside his armour-plated limo, The Beast.
Trump said: “We have developed a very special bond. People will be very happy.”
Kim said: “We have decided to leave the past behind. The world will see a major change.”
They dined on East-West choices of beef rib and sweet and sour pork. But the summit was only mildly appetising to the rest of the world.
Their declaration read: “President Trump committed to provide security guarantees and chairman Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.”
But many in the US, and among US Far East allies, were alarmed that Trump suspended US-Korea military exercises when Kim gave no details about scrapping nukes.
Trump said denuclearisation would be achieved by “having a lot of people there”, claiming it could happen quickly. But he added sanctions against North Korea would only be lifted when “nukes were no longer a factor”.
Theresa May’s spokesman said the denuclearisation commitment was a sign Pyongyang has heeded the message.
But ex-UK ambassador to North Korea John Everard said: “All Kim needed was the photo images to be seen to be treated as an equal by the President.”