The failure of the Hanoi summit in February is fueling a lot of concern
about where direct negotiations between the US and North Korea are
going. North Korea seems already to be looking for alternate partners,
with Kim Jong Un crossing into Russia for a planned summit with Vladimir Putin.
A Kim-Putin summit has been long planned, and Russia was keen to get in
on the talks after Kim met with Trump, South Korea’s President Moon, and
China’s President Xi, so as not to be left out of regional affairs.
The timing may be even more important for North Korea, as the stalled process with the US gives this summit a chance for Kim to show that he can negotiate with global powers and potentially make deals without the US being involved.
Details are still scant, but the talks are expected to focus on peace in
the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization, two subjects North Korea
tried, and failed, to work out with the US. If clear deals start being
worked out here, it could put the US in an awkward position of either
trying to play spoiler or letting Russia take a more active role.
South Korea’s Moon Jae-in must be smiling. Now he can start negotiating with Putin on the Trans-Korea railway that will link Korea with Russia and the New Silk Road. That’s where Korea’s future lies. Maybe he’ll also tell Pompeo and Trump to go f-ck themselves like Kim Jong-un recently did. Oh, the USA can take their troops, ships and planes and go home… NOW!
N Korea needs security guarantees and economic partners… between China and Russia, they can probably find what they’re looking for. With the US govt’s aggressive attitude towards both Russia and China, all parties will see thumbing their nose at the US as icing on the cake.
Smart move.