South Korean President Moon Jae-in intends to set up and hold a new summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un as soon as possible, trying to get both the process process and nuclear diplomacy back on track.
South Korea has been desperately trying to save the process, as after the failed Hanoi Summit it desperately needs a shot in the arm, and both US and North Korean officials are increasingly pessimistic in public statements.
But neither side is giving up, either, so South Korea has that working in their favor. The big question is whether either side has a way to come up with a compromise to get things moving again.
Talks between Moon and President Trump suggest the US isn’t open to making any concessions, however. Trump says that he believes the current level of sanctions are “a fair level” and that the US wants to keep them like that going forward.
That’s potentially a blow to Moon’s bid to get Kim back to the table, as sanctions relief for denuclearization is a big centerpiece of the deal that was sought in Hanoi. The US has now not only walked away but no longer appears to be willing to offer anything
Moon must act without US permission. Unless he is willing to do that the peace process is doomed.
Moon already po’d US militancy by pulling SK forces from exercises, making them pointless. He will have to go deeper now, to get US hawks to get the hint. Perhaps ink a peace treaty, and if the US wants to ignore it, so be it.