Friday’s historic summit in the Korean demilitarized zone has had an enormous impact on public confidence in the peace process among South Koreans. Many went into the summit uncertain what it would bring, but a large majority came out optimistic.
Polls among South Koreans showed, ahead of the summit, only 14.7% thought denuclearization and peace would a real possibility. After the successful summit, that figured soared to 64.7%. This is the most dramatic metric yet available on how impactful the summit really was.
Live television broadcasts of the meeting between North Korea’s Kim Jung-un and South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in gave the public a new look at their neighbors to the north, after decades of acrimony from Kim’s father and grandfather.
Kim’s cordial greeting of Moon, the handshake, and the two walking hand-in-hand across the border within the truce village left a powerful impression on the public. It led to a boost in South Korea’s stock market as many see peace on the horizon.
It was also good for President Moon. Though his polling numbers weren’t in the teens like the peace prospects figure, Moon too saw his popularity rise to a near-term high. 70% of South Koreans now support Moon, who campaigned on pushing a peace deal.
I’m pretty sure nearly all Koreans North and South want peace and good relations as well as a denuclearized peninsula. Unfortunately, understanding and cooperation between the Koreas is not in US interest. It would rob them of a justification to keep troops deployed in SKorea and even Japan, which they actually do to contain China. So expect unacceptable demands by Trump to Kim to derail any positive development.
I agree but I think the trumpsters demands will fall to the side as South Korean citizens and president Moon decide to go their own way. Then of course it’s not above Amerikas govt. to overthrow govt. or kill their leaders. President Moon has been here before and has all of his close friends in govt. around him. I do hope it works and South Korea asks Amerika to get their F$$$$$$ troops out of Their Nation
It is unfortunate that Moon has just announced US troops will be staying in S. Korea as it is a pre-existing deal between the US & SK and he added: (it has) “nothing to do with signing peace treaties.”
https://www.rt.com/news/425648-us-troops-korea-stay-moon/
So NK gives up everything and to what purpose? The threat against them still remains.
I was feeling hopeful but this latest development is not a good sign.-dv