The reason N. Korea is trying to cozy up to the S. Koreans is due to the sanctions recently placed on their country by the U.N. and the United States. They're sorely in need in cold hard cash. They play the same hand of cards over and over. Cozy up to the S. Koreans and Americans and then screw them over big time. I never could understand N. Korea's actions and I'm certain I'm not the only one. They had a wonderful opportunity to generate cash and communicate through the industrial complex they operated with S. Korea. If I remember correctly they earned over $300 million during the last year it was in operation. Since the Korean war ended I don't know of any military threat the US made towards N. Korea. The only reason they would require Nuclear weapons is to export the technology for cash, certainly not for protection. Yet, they could manufacture many items for export if they exhibited a more peaceful attitude towards their neighbors rather than beat the war drum. Trump doesn't enter into the equation as he's nothing more than a few sheets of Charmin blowing in the wind. His sexual innuendo about how big and powerful his nuclear button is show's the emotional maturity of a teenager. Kim Jung-Un is playing with Trump. He'll make as many threats and as much noise as possible so when the S. Koreans finally sit down at the negotiating table with him Kim will be able to extract the most money and whatever else the N. Koreans can steel from S. Korea and the USA.
3
And Trump watched from the sidelines like a eunuch
Yeah good to talk when Trump may blow you all away! Too much bad blood for reunification and on the North murder and torture however if it can stop a nuclear war I’m for it.
The south needs its relationship with the US and vice versa. Guarantee no invasion or military action if nuclear pursuit ceases. Also no North Korean submarine. We can’t have that as joe Biden has noted this week.
1
I am sure if the thaw and positive relation will truly and successfully happen, Mr. Trump will take ( or tweet) credit for it, claiming that he is the catalyst for that.
South Korea will be subsumed by the North if they think any negotiation with the pot bellied despot, "rocket man" is possible. The only language Kim understands is coercion at the tip of an ICBM.
1
Trumps tweets are working. NK wants to talk. Progress!
1
If your child throws a tantrum after a tantrum in front of people you cannot help but soothe him; joining his outburst is not what an adult does. In this case you have to soothe Kim by assuring him no military action. (I do not know why all the previous presidents refused to do so.) Then the talk would begin. To reach a satisfactory conclusion would be difficult; but it should be possible if we keep thinking of well-being of both Korean peoples.
This is the ONLY president NK is afraid of. We must keep the pressure up and attack if necessary.
Now we're the unpredictable mad dog.........perfect.
1
The “reasonable” Presidents all failed miserably in their dealings with North Korea. I’m more than happy to let our own “unpredictable” President try a more aggressive approach. Appeasement never works. Never.
4
They didn’t appease him, the rightfully ignored him. Just like the current WH occupier, he craves attention and Trump is providing just that with his childish and ridiculous behavior. NK saber rattling is more about keeping their own people in line and afraid of the world. Once again Trump is a willing idiot, a role he plays well.
I would agree with Trump here – his buttons are bigger AND easier to push. While Kim and Don play with their toys, the rest of us can just sit here hope the two of them don’t start trying to poke each other’s eyes out. Can someone please pass me the popcorn and some iodine pills?
1
Can we please make absolutely sure North Korea does not in any way participate in the Winter Olympics? Sanctions are sanctions are sanctions, and if they do participate, we elected the wrong president.
Ok. So they have re-opened it. How many times has that happened? This was turned off during the previous Administration. At any rate all that President Trump is doing with his pronouncements is prove to the rest of the world he is just a immature as Mr. Kim.
4
Have most Democrats lost their sense of self-respect? A few years ago Democrats were incensed Netanyahu came to the US and disparaged Obama. Now Kim Jong-un showed a little restraint and Democrats tripped over themselves to praise this Communist dictator and lambast Trump for not being more like Kim.
3
South Korea is wise enough to know rapprochement is better than having millions of SK citizens killed by a war a lunatic US president may wage.
5
North Korea is on notice. Behave or President Trump will reduce your entire nation to smoking rubble with the push of his big red button. And his button works. So think twice rocket man. If you make a mistake you and your nation are finished.
3
Trump couldn’t find North Korea on a map to save his life. If he pushed his big red button he’d probably destroy Laos by mistake.
All the Trumpian silliness aside, we have just entered a very dangerous period. People have a very short memory and are already forgetting NK's tactics. Their gesture is NO DOUBT an attempt to diffuse the US's focus on the matter. After all the provocations, they are trying to paint themselves as a peacemaker and the US an aggressor. This is the same tactic NK employed time and again over the past 20 years or more. I lived in Korea and love the country. I cannot bear to watch this nation go down by a rogue regime that has absolutely no regard for human right except their own. The US should have taken a decisive action before NK came out with a peace offense, which is phony. I am afraid this is another opportunity lost.
2
Cantor: I agree with your comment regarding being very wary of N. Korea. Your correct in your statement regarding N. Korea applying the same tactics over and over. N. Korea is the exact definition of a rogue nation, one with no regard for human rights and show absolutely zero respect for their neighbors.
1
Again and again.
How many times has NK shown honest and friendly looking?
Furthermore, SK is filled with communists and betrayers.
NUK bomb is not the problem of SK only, but of all the world.
2
Now I understand why China built the Great Wall without telephones.
Kim Jong=un is simply toying with Trump. He knows Trump will react. Kim Jong-un occupying the media space and Trump helping him with that. What might be a fun game could end up as human disaster. Trump tweet is an act of defacing the Office of the President of USA. He needs to be impeached. The sooner the better.
7
Never thought I’d say this but this happened because of Trump and he should be credited for this. Without his rhetoric on North Korea and his ego, it make South Korea seem relatively reasonable (which they are). With that said, South Korea seems to be safe from the threats. The US now, thousands of miles away, seems to be in greater danger while putting the world at a greater danger of a war.
6
Well, it seems that trump's alienation of South Korea has driven them from us and towards the North. Japan and China don't care for us much either. This can't end well. At least trump gets a tax break for his jets now. His high taxes have been keeping me up at night.
3
A good development that the 2 parties are talking to each other. Mr Moon sounds like a sensible practical leader who would be aware of the process adopted by North Korea in the past. However , again, I ask: Why are the NYTimes picks so at odds with the Readers Picks?
3
I wonder how long this overture will last after the Winter Games. Maybe longer if Trump doesn't again boast about his big ---- (whatever).
2
Let's cut to the chase here.
Trump seems to be inclined to compare the size of his "penis" with that of his brother from another mother, Kim Jong Un. So far, KJU seems more rational than Trump, more intelligent and less childish.
That's disgusting! I do not accept a president who will indulge himself in petty ego promotion rather than serious acceptance of the world and our future as important to all of us.
5
Too vulgar to tell the truth, huh? "Button", sorry ...
2
There's a lot of money riding on continued tensions, so Washington and its loyal media will warn us of the dangers of peace breaking out on the Korean peninsula.
https://qz.com/1081146/north-korea-hostilities-boost-us-defense-contract...
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/who-we-are/global/korea.html
http://www.grumman.com/AboutUs/OurGlobalPresence/AsiaPacific/Korea/Pages...
"Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., released a statement calling for [S Korea] to “reinvest in missile defense and our military presence in the Pacific.” Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., called for Obama to “dramatically enhance trilateral missile defense” and declared that Obama should deploy a Lockheed Martin missile defense system in South Korea. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are among his top donors. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, issued a statement specifically calling for spending on that same program; Lockheed Martin is by far his biggest donor over the course of his congressional career."
https://theintercept.com/2016/01/06/north-korea-missile-waste/
5
Donald Trump has Narcissistic Personality Disorder and in DSM-5 he has every attribute in spades. He also shows signs of dementia. Comparing penis size using nuclear buttons is puerile. Does Trump have to strip naked and run across the White House lawn speaking in tongues for Congress to take Trump out of office?
7
No. They would shrug and say that’s just Trump being Trump.
2
Not certain that would suffice.
Until now I hoping that all those "golden showers" had only affected Trump's hair color. Unfortunately, it's pretty clear that something soaked through and saturated his tiny brain.
2
I really try to avoid so much as sounding like I have anything in common with conservatives, but the various, "Oh, good, this'll bring PEACE types," commentng here--well, you're seriously out of your minds.
North Korea is basically one big gulag, and has been since about 1954. And a gulag, mind you, where they cheerfully ship weapons and training to terrorists all over the world, and have now built themselves at least three or four nukes.
Cripes, guys, look at the size of their army!
As for the Trumpists, way to go, Don. Boy, you really showed 'em--just like with the Paris Accords and TPP, where shooting off your fat mouth handed China a chance to step right on in about a dozen different places.
You'll lie about it, of course--you'll brag that you made these talks possible, be my guess--and because you're thick as a whale omelet, you likely won't even notice how bad this is.
Keep it up, Prez Dude: you may just be able not only to get us looking even stupider than we look now, but you might even be able to get the Koren Peninsula unified--as a genuine, no-kidding, stomp-down, real, true Communist dictatorship.
Not many of those around anymore, and for that, we thank you.
8
Thanks ROW, the ultimate rationalist. I miss your tart honesty!
1
Where there is a will there is a way. As the hot line was not operational they used whatever means that were available to keep communication going between the two Korea's, whether a mega phone or news conferences or TV interview. It looks very positive and as Kim Jong Un may already crossed the threshold for the Nuclear and Ballistic missiles technology they are willing to engage the South from a point of equality/equilibrium. They also appears to have enough fire power to keep Trump at bay.
Maybe our Twitter in chief may learn some techniques from these two adults who are trying to resolve some serious issues; probably only because they do not want the kid with big bat to ruin their playing field.
2
The sanctions against DPRK are getting Mr Kim's attention. This is hardly a time to reduce the pressure. The South Korean government needs to be very wary.
3
If North Korea & South Korea can together in a peaceful way to without hostilities, that in the best interest of world powers. UN should encourage such development. I believe many parts of the world have local issues which foreign powers hardly understand.. America is no longer in position to dictate solutions all over the world without fully understanding the issue the problems that devide them.
2
Regional powers can gain peace where the US has filed.
1
North Korea, South Korea - they are Koreans. Period. Let them decide for themselves. Being together, they have a lot to gain and little to lose. Let's get out of there where we don't belong. Why should South Korea take orders from an ally who has abandoned them. South Korea's President Moon jae-in is a very smart guy. With this overture from Mr. Kim jung-un, he knows which side is buttered.
NORTH KOREA'S Reconnecting with South Korea is a very good idea. Clearly, Kim Jung Un is going to try to con the president of South Korea, Rho Moo-Hyung. But that's better than having no communication at all. And clearly the purpose of the line of communication is not to give early warning of a nuclear attack, since it would only be a matter of seconds after takeoff that a NOO KYUH LER missile from the North would strike the South.
2
Are SK and NK really enemies, setting technicalities aside?
At one point, sure. Hard to deny that.
But now? It seems like they both just want to get along. All of NK’s ire is directed at the United States (and China, for hedging against their collapse). Seems like this may be a surprising window for positive steps between the two Koreas.
One thing every Korean I have met or read about agrees on is that it would be very nice for Korea to be one nation and one people again.
Perhaps now is the beginning.
1
Good news for both North and South Korea.
I think the time may be approaching, and soon, when we will see South and North Koreans interacting with each other, regardless whether Mr. Kim gives up his nuclear program.
The best thing that Trump could do, is stay out of it, and observe, unlikely of course.
It's about time the two Koreas understand the benefits of reunification; of course our military industrial behemoth will be very upset at the loss of another highly likelihood battlefield, where they can use up weaponry, deplete inventory, and further enrich our corporate owned government as they rebuild inventory.
2
If Trump can not play nice with the two Koreas he will send the South Koreans into the arms of the wily Kim sacrificing their political and economic freedom. Kim will never give up his power and seeks to dominate the much richer South, but Trump with his every utterance makes this appear more likely. Trump's fear mongering reaction to Kim can never create peace in the area. Either Trump will learn to act as a peace maker or we will be pushed out of Korea sacrificing the South to the North without a shot fired. Peace and democracy are delicate flowers which require care and responsibility none of which Trump possesses at all.
1
Thank goodness. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is clearly not working.
3
This is the best news in a very long time. The opening of constructive dialogue in the interests of peace is the only way to avoid an insane conflagration that would kill millions, if not the entire human species if nuclear conflict is considered.
There will be no winners in nuclear war.
2
This is another example of Trump's failed policies, if you can call his tweets policy. Although this is good for South Korea, it is definitely not good for the United States. Kim still has a means by which to threaten and blackmail he US whenever he does not get his way. This latest overture does nothing to reduce the tension with the US. It is simply a means to divide his enemies and remove the united front we spent so many years developing.
2
One narrative is that the sanctions are working and that the North is looking for wiggle room through the UN sanctions. The other is that neither side wants a conflict when the price of 'victory' could mean millions dead and neither desires to be a pawn in Mr. Trump's ludicrous reality show. What if both narratives are true?
1
Yawn. Just more of the same game from NK. He'll behave badly again soon, feign being insulted/threatened, rattle his saber, and of course DT will give him plenty of fodder to point to.
1
And that's bad? Good to know there are adult Leaders in the world. Funny, even Chubby Kim seems to be one of them!
The stakes are way too high for trading taunts with North Korea!
1
"Mr. Un, tear down that wall."
Instead of rattling sabers and threatening to push buttons, let's use a more potent non-violent weapon: cold hard cash.
Let all the democracies of this world- the good guys - chip together to form a resettlement fund to enable all those families in North Korea who wish to move to South Korea to do so, and to assist the government of South Korea with the resettlement efforts.
That should leave Mr. Un with a few family members and a bunch of nukes he won't know how to fire in any case. Then let a peacefully and democratically reunited Korea under the rule of the southern government-a la the absorption of East Germany by West Germany in 1990 - dismantle the nukes in return for security guarantees from Russia, China and the United States.
We win too. Our troops get to go home, saves us money, no wars,no shots fired, just good old capitalism winning again over stupid useless communism. Now that you've read this, you may remote start your Hyundai in the driveway from your Samsung phone.
Stop putting the criminal and barbaric Un regime on the same level as the democratically elected Moon regime in the South. The bad guys are not good guys. We and the other democracies are the good guys.
As for Un and his terrible regime - St. Helena is pretty empty these days since napoleon's death in 1821, there's a vacancy there for you Mr.Un.
#MKGA Make Korea Great Again
1
Donald Trump makes Kim Jong-un look like a responsible, competent leader.
Kim Jong-un has already learned what Americans who voted for Trump didn't, which is that our President is an incompetent fool. A diplomatic overture with the South is the perfect way to undercut the U.S. It allows the North to portray the America as a meddling bully, which is exactly what we are under this clown in the White House.
2
Trump made the US irrelevant in the middle east peace talks and now in Korea. He's been played! He's admitted the White House leaked fake news, and Bannon has him in his crosshairs! Time to go!
1
Note to Trump: Stay out of Korean situations.
2
Can someone shut fake president trump up while the Koreas talk together?
And get the US out of S. Korea?
2
Blood always thicker than...you know. NK and SK working it out while Manafort sues Mueller. Great. America looking brilliant.........
The President's approach to lil rocket man works. However the left will never admit it. :-)
1
Strong leadership from President Trump is bringing North Korea under control without firing a shot. No thanks to former President Bill Clinton that created this NK monster by giving NK nuclear access nor from the other past presidents that kow-towed to this NK nut job.
1
When China says Jump, N.Korea says How High.
By commanding N.Korea to make nice with S.Korea, China has neatly advanced its plan to marginalize the US on the global stage.
China is playing chess, while Trump is playing checkers.
1
Kim Jong-un has already learned what Americans who voted for Trump chose to ignore, which is that our President is an incompetent fool. A diplomatic overture with the South is the perfect way to undercut the U.S. It allows the North to portray America as a meddling bully whose incompetence is undercutting peace, which is exactly what we are under this clown in the White House.
2
Trump "had a plan"???????????????????????????????????????????
Hopefully, the next step is for the South to kick out American troops.
1
Trump is bringing Kim to his knees. MAGA
1
You can see that Trump is an imbecile... someone who drinks his own Koolaid and is incapable of thinking strategically.
In effect, Kim faked right and went left, leaving Trump babbling about buttons!
I hope Korea will unify -- contrary to Washington's desires. This is the longstanding wish of the Korean people!
Ihope North Korea comes to their senses. I suspect that Trump wants war to distract from the Russia Treason investigation. There is also the bizarre reason for this sudden warming of relations. Kim Jong Nutcase probably wants to see his North Korean figure skaters win a medal. This sounds stupid and far fetched but think about how insane this tweet storm is over the size of their little man things. Our world could end because two idiots are worried about their erectile dysfunction and have to prove it works by starting a nucelar war. No one could write this up as reality, Sadly it is.
1
What a great time for the US to just butt out and give the Koreans an opportunity to reconcile some of their differences without the feckless and dangerous kibbiitzing of diplomatic experts such as Trump and Tillerson, let alone Pastor Pence.
Enough with the 140-character saber rattling and reckless threats. Sit down, shut up, and turn to that grand agenda you boast about in the abstract, so we can see the true colors of the Republican worldview and prepare to hand you your heads next November.
North Koreas reminds me of the poem about "THe Spider and the Fly".
The story tells of a cunning Spider who ensnares a naïve Fly through the use of seduction and flattery. The poem is a cautionary tale against those who use flattery and charm to disguise their true evil intentions.
Trust North Korea ?
What a spider!
Now that South Korea has something that the North wants, like participation in the winter Olympics, the North agrees to reopen its hotline to the South. But how long will that last? Until the next time that the South does something that the North doesn't like?
In that the Olympics is meant to promote goodwill among nations through sports, why permit the participation of a country that is threatening the rest of the free world with nuclear annihilation? If it were up to me I'd still let the North Korean athletes participate but not under their nation's banner. And I'd insist that the North's athletes receive the same level of scrutiny that the athletes of other countries receive.
1
North Korea has threatened no one they have only ever threatened to retaliate if attacked.It is America that does all the threatening and invading of other countries always based on lies and deceit
Just a potential diversion, he understands nothing but force, and that only if applied to him personally.
A couple of thoughts.
First, shouldn't South Korea (SK) have most of the say in solving the North Korean (NK) problem. Shouldn't it be remembered that this 60 year standoff was started when NK invaded SK with the assistance of the USSR, and then with the support of the Chinese. Back then the U.S. was worried that Communism was going to win-out over Capitalism. As it turned out it didn't happen. At this point why not let SK negotiate a deal with NK that gives both their sovereign rights. Next...free NK of sanctions with one general condition, which is the elimination of their nukes.
Next, as a second point, is it possible that both China and Russia assume that in the event of a nuclear exchange between the U.S. and NK that the U.S. would only target NK? Here's a thought, have the U.S. target all three countries given both Russian and Chinese support of this paranoid state. Given this as an alternate approach both the Russians and Chinese would have "skin" in the game. Given recent reports of how NK has arrived at this advanced nuclear state shouldn't those that are directly involved with the advances understand the price they will have to pay.
1
Partially correct, mostly wrong. We probably won't use nuclear weapons, we don't have to do so. Yes South Korea has a lot to say, but not about eliminating the nuclear threat to our county. Only a mad mad would target other nuclear powers, we have already made it clear the China has nothing to fear from us, including eliminating the buffer between them and freedom.
First it was America who decided unilaterally to split Korea in half only four years before that war started and it was against the wishes of all of the Korean people and without their consultation. America acted like an occupying force in a country that had been an allie fighting against the Japanese under Kim Jon Un's grandfather , It was America who militarised that border splitting whole families apart and it was America who installed a puppet government in the south and installed a president to rule the south who was actually living in America It was that puppet leader that slaughtered civilians in the south when they protested against the American occupation and border in 1946.. And maybe you should consider Vietnam which was an almost identical situation to korea but America was chased out. Vietnam as a result is now a unified peaceful country under a communist government with a huge tourist base and over the last ten years has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
America in a conflict against Russia and China would be totally destroyed by either nuclear or conventional weapons . Russia has more nuclear weapons than all NATO forces put together and when combined with China would have larger conventional forces.
The real threat to world peace is the insane war mongering criminals in Washington
Someone is giving Mr. Kim good advice: Act like an adult while the president of the United States is acting like a 5-year-old.
15
OR Trump put so much pressure on Kim that he felt he had reached his limit and needs to talk peace? Liberals are disgusting. Trump drove Kim to seek another way.
This all sounds fantastic and fishy at the same time.
1
There is no North nor South Korea. There is only one ethnic sectarian historical Korea divided by socioeconomic political educational civil war backed up by competing foreign nations. Korea used to be a Japanese colony. America and China made war in Korea along with the Soviet Union.
Japan killed 30 million Chinese during World War II. Japan beat Russia in a war at the turn of the last century. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Nazi Germany killed 27.5 million Soviet Union citizens. America nuked Japan while allied with China and the Soviet Union.
Korea has been ruled by corrupt despots.
1
In the past. South Korea is a great democratic and wealthy country. I would be very happy to have their war ended and then we could return home.
@vulcanlex
Both North and South Korea have been ruled by greedy corrupt crony capitalist criminal cruel despots. Neither Korea is a country. The Korean War did not end with national boundary determining peace treaty, it ended with a ceasefire temporary armistice line. The prior South Korean leader was impeached and her leader parents were assassinated.
Who is "we"? Since 9/11/01 only 0.75% of Americans have volunteered to wear the military uniform of any American armed force. How many times have you, your family and friends been among them?
1
Who knows where the dialogue will lead but it beats tweeting threats.
7
The cold war notions that South Korea is a client state of the U.S. and N.K. is a client state of China no longer seem valid. South Korea has the seventh largest export economy in the world. In 2016, it exported more to China than to any other country; $124 billion to China as opposed to $66.7 billion to the U.S. S.K is the 11th largest importer; in 2016 importing $93.7 billion from China and $42.3 billion from the U.S.
https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/kor/
S.K. also sends many of its students to study in China as roughly 40% or all international students in China are from S.K. China does not appear to be a demon to S.K.
These significant statistics suggest that S.K. is in a position to chart an independent course in its dealings with N.K. somewhere between those of the U.S. and China and that S.K. can now be more trusting of China than in the past. It is probably in S.K.'s interest somewhat independly.
6
I have researched North Korea quite a lot. So, this is a big move. North and South Korea have relatives in common who have been separated for many years.
South Korea is one of the most updated and cool society, and their counterpart North Korea is one of the most blacked out and out of anything place. It's a very odd pairing, but I know from my readings that a lot of the people want to be back together.
Not everyone in North Korea believes that Kim Jong Un is descended from the gods, but quite a lot do.
2
It looks as if sanctions and Trump's threats are beginning to produce results.
1
I actually think this sidelines Trump.
This would not have happened had the previous leader of South Korea had not been removed. It is therefore preposterous to attribute these events to Trump's saber rattling. The only effect of his bellicose tweets is hire ratings for TV news, and rapidly declining respect for the US in the eyes of the world.
Maybe the silver lining in Trump's disinterest in America's international role is that other countries will finally get to solve intractable problems without the USA getting in their hair.
6
In the absence of leadership or even sanity from the likes of Trump and Haley, the South Koreans are themselves taking the lead to try and secure their own safety.
Part of a worldwide trend... As almost all nations (including our former "allies") regard the US as a dangerous rogue nation and an utterly unreliable nation to ally with, or even do diplomatic business with. Another "win" for Trump!
5
Polite talk eases tensions, its that simple. Bellicose talk increases tensions.The proposals to talk is good stuff but no one should be fooled by these talks, the systems of the South and the North of Korea are irreconcilable.
The strategy to let the regime crumble internally? Keep up the pressure with the UN Sanctions, keep US-Republic of Korea war games far away from the DPRK air-sea space, let the DPRK athletes compete in athletic games
And tell the president of the US to keep his mouth shut. He doesn't speak Korean.
2
So Trump will go down in history as the guy who inadvertently reunified the Korean Peninsula and lost the US a valuable Far East ally?
3
That is unlikely unless the North is in charge. And nobody is losing them, they have vast investments in the US.
1
Koreans north and south, work it out. The south can get the north to thaw the deep freeze, begin releasing people in prison camps, and move toward modernity. And put Trump on notice not to interfere, then freeze him out of the talks.
3
You joke, only violence will ever get Rocket Boy to change or the reasonable threat to his life and position might. And you can't freeze us out either.
Pressure is needed but too much bloviaying by Trump just gives Kim III the chance to play the adult.
2
How debased and abused have we become to jump up like an abused dog at the sight of some special treat when North Korea takes the smallest step?
They activate a phone and suddenly many of their citizens aren’t riddled with parasites and weren’t the first to threaten with a “nuclear button”? Now they’re amazing peacemakers?
Let’s not get too excited. It’s just a minor step in a long game. A no cost giveaway that we should accept at face value.
10
Trump's hotline is much bigger than North Korea's...
9
Trump has a much bigger hothead too.
1
South Korea would rather this than Trump.
7
Economic pressures seem to be taking hold. Now it's up to South Korea not to botch the opportunity.
1
Kim Jong-un 1, Donald Trump 0
Another step in being sidelined in Asia.
14
DJT is born button pusher but apparently his claim of having a "bigger button" than Kim Jong-un failed to impress either North or South Korea who have wisely decided to stop using him as an intermediary in the peace process. As a relatively sane person who doesn't want to ever see nuclear war break out I think this is very good news. As an American citizen I am beyond ashamed to call this irredeemable and dangerous blowhard President of the United States.
27
The North has been doing this for years. Push things right to the edge then offer an olive leaf to reduce pressure on them, all while still developing nuclear weapons. And they know the politicians will fall for it, again.
8
It looks like a ploy by the little Rocketman to muddy the waters of nuclear negotiation. A unified Korea would do wonders to keep the peace in that region and it would be wise to encourage it, but Kim Jong-un is not a visionary. He is only interested in power.
7
And China does not want that, they fear that.
1
We've had ogres and ideologues, passive intellectuals and sadists as leaders of great countries, but never before one who treats his ability to trigger mass slaughter as a child's game, bragging his button is “much bigger & more powerful” than Mr. Kim’s. “And mine works!”
Of course the world is transfixed, and after having pulled off the greatest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in history under the guise of Tax Reform, he is entering his second year, not chastised, but glowing with his success. Of course it helped to have had the country's attention diverted by the continuous perp walk of any man who acted crudely to a woman, whether simply poor taste or assault, all making headlines if having a prominent name under the broad term "sexual harassment. "
I bet even this journal had an uptick in revenues, as we want to see the details of such villains as Garrison Kieler, and Chris Mathews (oops, correction, he was fined for harassment that was not "sexual" as originally reported)
The party of expansion of sexual freedom and diversity in a flash became dedicated to defending females, seen as helpless by definition. We are living in a mash up of reality shows; it's incoherent and precludes anything that does not enhance rage and ratings.
Ironically the one person who might have had the skills to tackle this, Al Franken, just didn't have the courage.
4
Quick! Offer unification by allowing any unarmed Korean free access to the Korean peninsula, plus peninsula-wide electronic communications.
1
Without leadership in Washington, with a President who mocks the disabled and thinks that the "base" which enjoys seeing him do that are good people, countries will bypass the US and, rightly so, work out their own problems without the intervention of a Washington they cannot trust and a President they have no respect for.
7
trump may call him rocket man, but he is smart enough to look at 45 and see the death spiral he wants to create; North Korea made a much, much better choice by ignoring 45 and talking to his neighbor;more proof that 45 is unfit to govern on any day, at any speed.
9
This is great. Does anyone remember why we got involved with South Korea in the first place? For the young reader, it was because of the "Domino Theory" which postulated that if we didn't stop Communism in Korea, it would spread to Australia and, like the flu, to the whole world. Since that theory is now pretty much debunked, it is time to give South Korea the nuclear weapons they need to balance the threat from the north, and then leave them alone to work it out. But that can't happen until Trump leaves, as he needs this "crisis" to draw attention from the Muller investigation.
3
Watching this "war of words" between Washington and Pyongyang, it reminds me of watching a fight between 2 elementary school bullies during unsupervised recess. When Trump says "my button is bigger than yours", I cringe when I think of how the rest of the world views this behavior.
I long for the days when we had politicians who could actually use their words constructively instead of just flinging insults through a tweet.
People complain that China is taking over the leadership of the world both economically and politically. One has only to look at how Trump behaves and then compare this to Mr. Xi to understand why.
8
This is a good development for the Koreas and the world. It is also an indication that the United States is doing its best to make itself unnecessary in foreign affairs. "America First" is going to mean America Last after China and others fill the leadership vacuum. After what we've seen in this country over the last year, maybe that's not a bad thing.
8
During World War II it was the North Koreans who fought against the Japanese invaders, while the industrial South sided with the Japanese. This is a huge source of enmity between North and South and until the sides can reconcile on that issue there will always be a boulder in the road to peace.
2
The northern part of Korea was more heavily industrialized than the south by the time Japanese rule ended in 1945. This is one reason why North Korea was initially wealthier than South Korea, until at least the early 1960s. You're on the right track, but it's more accurate to state that among Koreans it was communists who outright opposed Japanese rule and fought against it while a large number of those Koreans who didn't support communism tacitly supported Japanese rule or openly collaborated with the Japanese.
2
The last paragraph tells it all. Nothing more than a face-saving ploy.
5
I cannot see how any of the overtures being made by North Korea can be seen as a victory by Trump as some would like to believe. NK has outplayed the Trumpists. NK is now being viewed as the reasonable party. The more Trump sends out his idiotic tweets the more the rest of the world considers him an unhinged 10-year-old and Kim as the reasonable adult.
Trump has already lost on the NK front. Trump's empty threats have created a situation where the world will accept NK as a nuclear power, eventually, sanctions will decrease benefiting the Chinese and leaving the US once again completed isolated. NK will continue to develop its weapon systems thus ensuring that the US will never threaten it. Trump has ensured that NK will get what it has always been looking for, recognition from the rest of the world that it can exist and a seat at the nuclear power table.
7
Guess they want to be able to go to the Olympics.
4
This is a clever move by Kim Jong-un. Although in no particular order, I do think his primary motivations are for the people of his country's benefit *say, to participate in the Olympics), to metaphorically slap Trump in the face and to elicit some ignorant response ("Rocket Man this, Rocket Man that").
No matter how Trump tries to sell it this move by Mr. Kim will only serve to show how detrimental he (Trump) is to our entire foreign relations. Whatever the situation, Trump seems to be willing to say or do the worst possible thing in order to isolate the US and push other countries away. Unfortunately for the US in this case, he is doing it with a madman like Kim Jong un. Mr. Kim is the most likely person on the planet to respond in some maniacal way, and that serves no one well.
1
Finally some sanity but of course Mr Narcissist Trump will take credit for this.
2
Oddly, I think Trump's blustering ways have enabled a more rational conversation in the region, starting with this rapprochement between North and South Korea. As someone from a family who had reason to observe and reflect on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (parents took me with them to Tokyo Japan for a year in 1952-53) and who had a year of nightmares about nuclear war at the age of 9-10, I think people who want to go out with pistols blazing are not thinking straight.
There will be millions of victims of even a minor nuclear confrontation. Take a look at a map! Consider radiation and fallout. The indirect death is horrible, and even if you survive it's not a good life.
Please just stop with unthinking violence and simplistic rootin' tootin' "solutions" that are bound to make things worse.
Do you really think ruining neighborhoods abroad makes friends? Really? How would you feel if you had no clean water, no sewers, no power, no shelter, no health care? Breaking things means you own them. Don't you realize this is exactly why ISIS has such a hold on immature minds? Can't you exercise a little maturity yourself? For your kids, if not for yourself?
Please, when we work together to solve problems, that is humanity at its best. When we bully and threaten and hurt, we do untold harm, not only in the present but for the future.
14
"North Korea Reopens Border Hotline With South"
I find this opening and discussions to ensure between South and North Korea to be a hopeful, encouraging sign. Welcome news. There must be peace on the Korean peninsula.
9
Yes these are the main actors and it is up to them to decide how to work their relationship out. We are a outsider, interested in our own needs not theirs. They are right to bypass us, especially now that we are so dysfunctional, irrational and dangerous to others.
15
"now that we are so dysfunctional, irrational and dangerous to others."
You are confused, that was the last administration...
3
luis martinez, you appear not to realize that Obama rescued us, as Democrats often do, from the predations of Bush with his unfunded wars (that left arms around for terrorists, and destroyed lands) and his deregulatory crash (2007-2008). Your current financial recovery is casino profiteering, but the groundwork was laid by Obama. Iran's agreement caused the removal of a lot of fissile material, and involved wisdom and patience by all parties, a quality notably absence from Trump and his boosters. I could go on. Trump is making America small and mean and making the world a more dangerous place, not only for "those people" but for you and me and our younger friends and families.
1
The North-South Korean discussion is simply one of what will be many times that Trump sidelines the United States from important international affairs.
Trump can't be removed from office and relegated to the dustbin of history soon enough.
5
PRESIDENT TRUMP will leave...in 2020, or 2024 if you are not careful...
1
Because after eight years of failed Obama policy, one year of Trump "policy" triggers talks is certainly reason enough for his impeachment... Give it a rest. Want to talk about sidelining important international affairs? Let's talk about Obama and the Arab Spring.
The year-long collective media and leftist temper tantrum has turned off those of us in the middle. There was no collusion between Russia and Trump to swing the election, the $80k or so spent on Facebook ads did not swing the election to Trump. The Mueller investigation has found nothing related to collusion with Russia, only lying to the FBI which is why special prosecutors go for when they have nothing else, just to justify their expense accounts. The mainstream media outlets have published as much "fake news" as the Russians ever did.
It was Hillary being forced through the DNC nomination process that did in the Democrats in 2016 -- continuing the trend since 2010. Stop shouting down those who disagree with your views as "haters" or "phobics" and you might pick up some votes.
Stock market is up, people who pay taxes are to keep more of their money, Manufacturers are looking to move jobs to the US -- certainly need to ditch Trump and Company. I didn't vote for the guy and am coming up short on reasons not to vote for him in 2020. All I've seen on the DNC bench are people even older than Trump, who either lied about their ethnicity to get in to college or have spent their life living off the government.
We are in a situation where NK can be approached.
The perception, whether real or not, that they have achieved nuclear attack status can now be leveraged for peace.
NK, you are now a member of the Nukes r us club.
It’s now safe to cease testing and start talking with the South. Vilify the US as much as possible.
China will watch approvingly. If Putin stays out, this could work.
Too many -- indeed, most -- comments are supposing Kim is a sane leader acting in the best interests of his people. He is not, and never has.
Bet you all dollars to donuts: He will engineer an agreement that results in his Olympians participating in the forthcoming games, then return to inane, insane bellicosity the moment the games are over.
8
Doughnuts now cost a dollar or more, that expression is old hat and no longer appropriate.
Dear Ray Ozyjowski,
I am sorry donuts are so expensive in Oregon. They are more affordable in most of the places I frequent. Hoping you will find more affordable pastries in 2018, Happy New Year.
3
Almost want to see South Korea invite North Korea to the games and kick the U.S. out. And as more and more news unfolds, it's time for the GOP voter to let their leadership know it's time for Mr. Trump to go. The U.S. is better than this.
1
The world is doing business, signing treaties, signing trade and social pacts, and negotiating rather nicely, and these things are being done with not help or input from America. It has been going along that way for some time now, but it is becoming clear to the general public about these goings on. The difference now is that the light shines brighter on these activities due to the bellicose and incompetent nature of Donald Trump and his team. The elephant is in the room, and as a result, the world is changing rooms. At the brink of the First World War, Britain's Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Gray stated famously "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time". Those lights are beginning to shine again, along side rest of the world. Now it is America's turn to see the dimming of the lamps, and to share the same consequences seen by Europe one hundred years ago.
3
Sad but true
President Moon wants peace and beyond preserving life in South Korea, he has no desire to kill thousands of innocent North Korean people.
Trump wants war and proved it with his "big button" tweet, a tweet that might be expected from an insecure 12 year old rather than the President of the United States.
Trump will certainly insert himself in any dialogue between the North and South and do his best to upend any talks, he needs this conflict to be all about Trump. His insecurity and needy ego demand it.
7
He cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. That is it. End of story. It endangers the entire world. I don't care how many sweet picnics he has with the south.
If we could, we'd turn the clock back on Pakistan too, even India.
3
That genie is out of the bottle. We now have to deal wth the reality. We cannot wish it away.
2
You do know he's already got them, right?
While I agree it’s also about the only thing that has stopped larger countries from steamrolling them. We (the U.S.) have nukes and rather frequently use them as a threat. For some reason that makes other countries feel threatened. It’d be a lot easier to take away/prevent the development of nuclear weapons in countries with unstable dictators if we didn’t make those countries feel like they needed them to defend themselves against us - but here we are.
There’s not really any way to backpedal on our use of nuclear brinkmanship so I don’t expect NK, or any other country for that matter, to feel secure enough to give up theirs. It’d be great if we could take away Kim’s nukes. The problem is that there’s not really any way to do that without putting literally the entire world at risk. Maybe someone much smarter than us can figure that one out (but if they could I’d suspect they would have by now.)
Clearly, we are at a childish level of communication with North Korea.
1
It seems the South Koreans are more afraid of Trump than of Kim and the North. Trump cannot understand the necessity of reducing tensions. He seems to relish the role of uninformed bellicose nuisance.
2
Is this a bad thing? Are we supposed to root for bad relations with NK the way we need to have Russia as an enemy too?
To me, seeking the leader of NK wearing a western suit and then initiating contact with SK is a good thing but I know that it can not be good as that would shed a positive light on how Trump has been treating them.
Someone please help, are we supposed to want to see progress (like this) or are we supposed to want to see no progress (to hold against Trump)?
5
Your right. Progress is progress. Mr Magoo has us stumbling into a situation where peace is possible.
NK vilifies US, SK warms up, China watches approvingly. Long as Putin stays out it might work.
Kim made a baiting comment and Trump bit.
Only net effect again was negative to our rep internationally.
Everyone looks at the DOW but that's pretty myopic alone. Unfortunately many people ignore the loss of 9% on average against 36 international currencies.
Since many products we buy are international the it is a loss for most in this country without that money to invest.
Hope all his supporters have stocks or 401k or the Winners become Losers and just don't know it.
Shocker!
Meanwhile aside from bait tossed Kim is talking to S. Korea, didn't respond to Trump and looks like more responsible internationally.
Read some international papers.
Never thought I'd think of L'll Kim as an adult but compared to Trump? Maybe the two Koreas could be the adults and Donald can stay outside and play with his bigger button.
13
It is clear N Korea is outplaying US.
By giving the impression Kim is seeking to lower tension and willing to participate in the upcoming Olympics, he buy himself more time to build more bombs.
Trump can do nothing other than to watch as a spectator. Kim obviously work very hard to turn US from being a participant in the Korean theater to becoming a mere spectator.
Kim's overture to the South is designed to turn S Koreans into his asset to turn against US. This alone is his most potent weapon to defang US while he speed up his bomb making.
6
I visited South Korea last year and found the people to be industrious. friendly, and completely baffled by Trump. I traveled to the DMZ, which a friend described as a cross between Disneyland and the Twilight Zone (with tour buses and a gift shop).
None of them seemed particularly concerned about North Korea attacking any time soon. Some had traveled to the North and described their experiences as somewhat strange, but a great opportunity to reconnect with their fellow Koreans. Our DMZ guide had visited Kaesong and talked about how it could have been a great way to improve relations between North and South.
The highway bridge leading to the DMZ is known as the Reunification Bridge. Reunification is the ultimate goal of Koreans in the South, just like it was for Germans in the East and West. Anything that furthers that goal is welcome. Sabre rattling and insults are most definitely not!
10
I think it is good that North Korea is reaching out to it's neighbors. It shows that the isolation and sanctions are working.
Trump needs to put more pressure on China to cut off shipments to North Korea. Trump needs to continue to publicly shame China when they get caught violating the sanctions.
BUT, if South Korea is smart they would tell North Korea that any military tensions between North Korea and the US causes tension between North and South Korea. The South needs to remind the North that the South is well aware that Rocket Man may be a close neighbor that they need to get along with, but that he is not their friend.
Also, Trump and South Korea needs to make it abundantly clear that we have no ill will against the suffering people of North Korea, but our problems all come from the actions of the North Korean despot dictator.
Perhaps we just need to send Dennis Rodman back over there.
Something much more sinister may be at work by Kim to marginalise US from the Korean Peninsula. A friendly Moon will help this to happen faster than expected.
Plan may be at work for N Korea, S Korea to have a formal truce and China actively engaged in 'protecting' N Korea and N Korea 'guarantee' not to nuke S Korea.
Over time, US presence in S Korea will become totally irrelevant.
N Korea, S Korea will establish trade relations with the South benefiting from low labor cost to stay competitive.
China of course will benefit by keeping US far away from her border.
If Kim just ignore the American 'noise', his overture to S Korea will result in the Korean Peninsula free from US military presence with China and Russia benefiting much as well.
US will be the biggest loser as Kim now will have nuclear weapons able to hit CONUS.
3
Great job Mr. President. Rocket man just got Trumped.
3
An alternate view of the recent change in the North Korean relationship with the south could be that in his own unique way President Trump opened that door. Considering that the only difference has been his back and forth with the North Korean lunatic, why else would there be this new development? Who cares if North Korea likes us? If the progress continues and there are positive changes that's what matters.
Yes, if he threatens the rest of the world enough, the whole lot of them might decide to unify. Except for us, of course. But we don't need to be liked. We're gonna be fine, and great, and all that all by ourselves.
1
Gee, maybe the tough talk from the President is actually working?
1
The problem with American foreign policy has always been its transitory nature. One president undoes the legacy of the other so no country can be sure which United States they are dealing with. Is it the global savvy Clinton Democrats or the ignorance worshiping Trump Republicans?
Now that we have proved ourselves to be thoroughly incompetent and unreliable it is time for us to shed our only adult in the room mask and let these competing countries work things out for themselves. It may not be to our liking but do we even know what we want anyway? One thing North and South Korea can agree on now is that Trump is a nut job. They may have to band together to survive this irresponsible presidency.
Bingo! Mission accomplished.
2
I lean left but dang everybody in here showing thier tunnel vision partisanship. Give credit where credit is due. Trump have pushed Kim into this position. But you guys forcing yourself to find a bad angle. Tsk Tsk, The left thinks its so smart with its nuanced diplomacy but sometimes you have to rattle a big stick. No shots have been fired. This is Reagan-esque. Cold War thawing. You guys sound incapable of rational thinking as you blame the right. Get a hold of yourselfs. The Mueller investigation will continue. But this is good work from Trump.
2
Trump is playing Chicken with someone who is as unstable as he is. That is a very dangerous game to play. This is not over yet. I think you are giving him too much credit.
1
chicken? looks like bluffs have been called
The president, his loyal followers and Fox will all take credit for whatever good happens with the talks. This is no different than Reagan taking down the Berlin wall and ending Communism.
Mr. Kim quaking in his boots because he was out tweeted. LOL
2
How can we get inexperienced, unschooled, injudicious Nikki Haley to shut up? WOW! She's not even skilled enough to be a governor.
1
Let the two Koreas talk to each other and the US sit back and not muddy waters. There is no place for childish tweets like two school children browbeating each other. This is a very serious situation and requires deft handling.
2
This result came from multiple factors that have been in play which may have frightened the leader of North Korea enough to seek small-scale negotiations along the border.
First, both China and Russia, arguably the biggest players in these tensions, have backed the UN sanctions against North Korea. Russia is the biggest nuclear power in Asia and China's exports to North Korea are one of the only things keeping the country's economy intact. So the fact that both of these countries backed the UN sanctions could herald future pressure on North Korea by China and Russia. Kim Jong-un may be opening the hotline in an effort to de-escalate tensions in order to discourage China and Russia from stepping in, because if China and Russia see at least a peaceful quiet in the regularly unstable peninsula, they may stay put.
Second, Kim Jong-un may be concerned with the recent behavior of our President. Although North Korea has threatened the US mainland as well as Guam multiple times in the past, Kim Jong-un has never gotten such verbal responses before, whereas Trump has regularly picked fights of words with North Korea. Kim Jong-un realizes that although he may have several nuclear weapons at his disposal, North Korea could never win a war that involved nuclear weapons with the US. If he thinks that Trump may actually be close to pulling the nuclear trigger, he will attempt to de-escalate conflict, which may have resulted in this situation.
Trump is ceding real U.S. power in the world one empty tweet at a time.
3
I guess Trump can claim credit for a possible easing of relations between North and South Korea. His infantile tweeting and demented ranting has actually alarmed Seoul more than Kim Il-Un's nuclear ambitions. They figure it is a smarter and far safer bet to deal directly Mr. Kim than continue to have Trump put their country at risk for a renewed war.
As Trump's misguided attempts at America First foreign policy broadens, we are likely to see more former allies find themselves in a position of no longer being able to rely on the US. Trump and his people may think that that is a good thing. Any student of history will tell you it is setting the stage for the next World War.
The wave is coming. I hope it gets here in time.
One step in the right direction.
Let's not forget that the North and the South were one country and we were instrumental, along with the Soviets, divided them after the WWII surreptitiously without international approval. For better or for worse, we should encourage the reunion of a people instead of fermenting continuing war like confrontations thousands of mile away.
I'm not sure the South really wants unification if it means coming under the control of Kim. His record of human abuse is monumental. No one would voluntarily do that to themselves.
1
These are hopeful developments, though there is still a very long way to go for North Korea to become peaceful and part of the international community. And North Korea is going to be a problem for a long time to come, as there is basically no chance of their giving up nuclear weapons, or being able to feed their starving population.
Still, they're steps in the right direction, and I hope good things come from this rapprochement. And it's amusing to me that this is happening not because of Trump's belligerent threats, but in spite of them.
I never imagined I'd be saying this, but Trump, with all that I don't like, just maybe, maybe there's a method. The two Koreas are talking. Come on, that's something. Think for a moment in many areas of Trump Crazyland, Iran, Israel, I don't agree with him, but how much have we gotten for 40 years of the same talk, a continuation of the same policy. It leads to less and less positive and more violence and misery. He's trying a different approach and it sure can be scary. But just maybe some if it will work. Okay, ready for the onslaught.
Dear MCS,
Really this seems to be happening as an unintended consequence. Trump's belligerent, thoughtless tone has driven South Korea away from us. With South Korea no longer looking to us for leadership, they feel free to engage in diplomacy with the north directly. Also, North Korea no longer sees the south as so much of a puppet of the U.S., with the division growing between us.
So I'm sure it's not a master plan of Trump's or anything. He's really very, very unintelligent, and he acts without thinking pretty much all the time.
1
The US may regret that North Korea has nuclear weapons, but that is a fact, and the world must live with it. The best policy vis-a-vis such a country is to make it part of the community of nations, with shared interests, if not always shared values. Mr. Moon evidently perceives this, and one can only hope responsible people in our own country will do so as well.
1
Baby Rocketman has a tiny button that doesn't work. We have the best, most powerful missiles and beautiful bunkers. Your move, Kim. MAKE OUR DAY!
Reading the comments here, I can't help but think too many NYT readers have let their dislike of Trump overly color their world view. I don't like Trump either, but Kim Jong Un is a brutal dictator who is holding an entire country as his political hostage. He has even less of a problem lying than our president. Not sure how a couple gestures like this changes that reality, or how much Trump really has to do with any of this.
"....restoring a channel of direct dialogue...."
I don't pretend to know all the inside intrigue behind this move, but on the surface it seems like great news!
Thank you to North and South Korea for deciding to TALK.
1
Actually having two crazies is a good thing.Trump and the Jong guy are crazy and don't dare take the other for granted.Trump being unpredictable helps.North Korea might reason that Trump is crazy enough to do anything.This might have forced them to the table.
As usual, highly rational actions by the North Korean regime. Their only move for survival was to continue developing nuclear weapons using conventional artillery as a shield. Now that they've navigated the tough road to a deterrent, they will try to open trade with the South given that the US will now have trouble unilaterally destroying them. The South doesn't want to get caught in the middle of a war with the North and US, better to negotiate since the US is unwilling and unable with its clown president and dysfunctional government.
KJU might be detestable and evil, but he's rational and not stupid.
Both countries probably found this an opportunity to demonstrate their disrespect for Trump.
1
I love watching world affairs knowing that a toddler could see the U.S. is getting played like a fiddle.
Bye bye U.S. dominance, hello backseat to hostile nations foreign policy.
We totalllly can just sit back and relax for the next couple years while China takes economic control of their region, russia props up NK and Syria and works to develop their own untraceable crypto currency to avoid sanctions, meanwhile, we continue to allow our electoral systems to erode further with one political party practically begging for them to "help" again.
Makes you proud of what our fathers worked so hard for doesn't it...
2
Kim Jong-un's next statement: "Trump makes ME look sane and reasonable."
1
Trump will go down in history as:
"The Man Who Trolled the World"
North and South Korea have wisely decided to ignore the petulant little boy in the White House and pursue their own detente. China, which has moved in where Trump has abdicated American leadership, probably had a hand in this but it's a good move and a refreshing change from the rantings of the Tweeter-in-Chief. Europe is ignoring Trump, Asia is ignoring Trump, Canada and Mexico are ignoring Trump and the Palestinians should ignore him too. Netanyahu and Trump against everyone else -- that's the new world order.
1
That Trump sure know how to make deals. And to think he did it all on his own with no help from a pesky South Korean Ambassador.
Most South Koreans are reluctant to negotiate with North Korea, and North Korea has always called for funding and food aid after negotiations.
It has been used as food and military funds for North Korean military food rather than being distributed to the North Korean people through the food and money that South Korea has provided.
And over time,North korean have provoked South Korea again. Historically, it has been a vicious cycle that has continued since the division
Because they have always been, South Koreans do not belive North Korea's offer anymore.
But South Korean media lie every time to create a false peace atmosphere.
If you visit South Korea and ask the Korean people how they feel about this peace offer from North Korea, You would heard the same answer.
" South Koreans want peace, but we do not believe what North Korea is saying anymore."
23
I have visited South Korea many times and have met people from Junior to Senior Government officers, academician, students and even talked with people in general. They are all unanimous opinion on one point: They want Americans out of South Korea.
The underline cycle of repeating incidents as mentioned by you is due to the fact that North cannot trust South as long as Americans Americans are there. Looking at recent history .... the America has severe trust and credibility problem.
1
I think you (Lee) are one of the hard-right Koreans which remained unchanged, refusing to adapt to the changing world for the entire time since the Korean war.
We are not stupid. The people around the world are not stupid. What the North Korea is proposing is out of their desperate needs for food and other resources in the short term. Also in the short term, South Korea has a desperate need to host the Winter Olympics which is held at a town close the DMZ. Reducing the tension is of paramount importance to the South Korea in order to manage the games successfully.
Regardless of their intents of this move and despite the North Korea's past history, this peace move is a good thing.
Dear Alpha,
Oh yes, and have a nice day in a NK ruled united Korean peninsula. Ciao
This doesn't mean that peace is immediately on the horizon: These hotlines aren't used to sing kumbayah or something.
What this does, though, is prevent war caused by misunderstandings or accidents, and prevent relatively small incidents from escalating. For instance, the US-USSR hotline was used several times during moments of tension like the Kennedy assassination.
On a smaller scale, opening up lines of communications can help. For instance, when a few American sailors were captured in Iranian waters a few years ago, the fact that John Kerry had opened lines of communication with his Iranian counterpart meant that the sailors were released in a matter of hours.
9
While there is most likely an ulterior motive behind Kim’s offer, and as much as I’d like to think that at least one of the two most unstable leaders in recent world history is taking a step back from the nuclear cliff, I approach this development with trepidation, mainly because of — you guessed if — DJT.
We need to wait and see. We need to trust South Korea and its government to do its due diligence — now is not the time for massive interference by the U.S. that could rupture any kind of reapproachement between North and South, if it is in the offing, as well as drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington, which will most certainly further destabilize the region and make resumption of hostilities a certainty.
Trump’s latest, irresponsible, and dangerous tweetstorm about nuclear war is nothing more than a tantrum because things are apparently shifting diplomatically away from the U.S. Trump cannot abide that. As always, the focus with Trump has to be on how big and bad HE is (the U.S. is nothing more than a blunt instrument), no matter how much it puts the rest of the world at risk. He doesn’t like feeling left out or upstaged.
That’s why I fear that Trump and his malignant immaturity and spite will somehow sabotage this very fragile step toward lesser hostilities. When it does fall apart, we will be back to an even more fraught status quo, with Trump smiling and crowing that he knew all along it wasn’t going to work. Self-fulfilling prophecy personified.
8
I’m betting all trump’s bluster and machinations cannot stop two separated countries on the same peninsula, next door to China, to hold peaceful meetings.
"But Washington is concerned that its South Korean ally, in its eagerness for dialogue, might make too many concessions to the North, like allowing it to keep its nuclear weapons program intact."
Kim will never give up his nuclear weapons. Even if China insisted on it, it will never happen. Even if the sanctions cause his people to starve to death, it will never happen. And in any case, it is not up to South Korea to "allow" NK to keep its nuclear weapons.
That being said, Kim isn't going to launch his missiles at South Korea or the U.S. In any nuclear war, he knows North Korea would be bombed back to the Stone Age. Kim just makes noise from time to time about his nuclear capabilities whenever he wants something. In this case, he wants to send NK athletes to the Olympics, and wants to reduce the sanctions.
South Korea can't unilaterally reduce the sanctions on NK. As for the Olympics, I'm sure South Korea would be thrilled to have NK athletes participate -- but in any event it is the IOC, not South Korea, that determines which countries are allowed to compete.
Just remember one thing, folks. North Korea didn't start to ramp up its nuclear weapons program until George W. Bush declared North Korea part of the "Axis of Evil." So we have our bone-headed Bush administration for the current dicey situation on the Korean Peninsula.
2
Yes, but what if North Korean athletes don't win their events? Will Kim use the nuke button? This should be exciting.
1
Sigh. Much as one would like to see the entire North Korean government tossed out of a space capsule someplace near the Moon, these are not good guys. These are not peaceniks.
These are wardens of a flipping Gulag; what Bush said wqs imbecelic, but the intent was correct.
1
The first time I met a Korean was in the 1980's at a conference, where I shared living quarters with him. I knew nothing of the history of the Korean war, of the DMZ, or any other aspect of the state of affairs in that part of the world, and knew only that were two Koreas. When my roommate said he was from Korea, I naively asked "South Korea?" Anger rose to his face and voice at my ignorance and callowness as he replied "There is only one Korea."
I have since gotten to know many Koreans extremely well, worked with them, visited the only part of Korea that most of us are allowed to, and I know much more. The Koreans are a deeply proud people, with rich history, culture, industry, learning. (Try talking to one about their phonetic alphabet!) While my erstwhile roommate's reaction may have been atypically severe, I have no doubt that his sentiments run broad and deep in Korean society. There is nothing that divides the two Koreas --- language, religion, cuisine, dress, customs. Trump of course is the epitome of ignorance and unmanliness, but I wonder if even other Americans really appreciate how strong the bonds between the Koreans are.
May "There is only one Korea" become an unquestioned truth in my lifetime!
1
This is a good start to cooling off this whole situation. Thank you!
1
Why are the clocks 30 mins different? Time zones are on the hour. Is NK 30 mins behind the rest of the world?
I'm happy that The North and South Korean governments are both open to at least trying to have dialogue. Negotiating and discussions are the way differences should be resolved, not throwing insults through social media platforms.
Koreans should solve their own problems.
Get the 26, 000 US soldiers out of So Korea, but provide them the training they still need and offer them defense weapons, for purchase, to deal with any subterfuge from the North.
US has no more business to have a large foot print in So Korea...has our presence for SIX decades made ANY difference in the simmering tensions between the two countries?
3
It only did things like stop the Korean war, keep the North from overrunning the country, and prevent even more expansionism from some bad guys, so it's easy to see why you're upset.
1
Funny thing that since the end of WWII there hasn't been another major war between major powers. Do you think this is due to luck or chance? If you do, you are as ignorant of history as our president is. Our military dominance in all corners of the world has kept peace in the forefront. NATO and other multinational pacts rely on cooperation between nations, but ultimately, it has been the overwhelming superiority of the US military that held the Soviet Union (now Russia) and China at bay all these years.
Trump has weakened the bonds that have united nations across Europe and Asia.
Do you really want to see a united nuclear Korea, or any other allied country that has a future risk of aligning with China or Russia? Should all NATO nations build up their own armed forces to protect themselves if the US umbrella is removed? If you are comfortable with this, crack open any book on the history of WWI or WWII. It would be only a matter of time before they turn these armies against each other or us.
1
A unified Korea with both economic and military strength and no longer in need of the US military or its parasitic munitions corporations. What will we do?
5
Dig bomb shelters?
Honestly, flippancy aside, do you have the slightest reason to believe that Kim and the North would accept any unification that didn't amount to them taking over everything and running it like a profitable prison camp?
1
Mr. Trump's bungling of foreign policy continues to open doors for China, Russia and now North Korea. This approach by North Korea to speak directly with South Korea is just one example of how our all thumbs and twitter bullying has failed to serve the United States. We should have never elected a President who is as incompetent, inexperienced and unable to learn as Mr. Trump. It will take the next two Presidents to repair the damage Mr. Trump has done to our standing in the world.
64
Gee, maybe President Trumps tough talk that outrages the Press in the US is actually working? Yet no mention of that in this article at all, in fact, only one mention of The President in total.
Remember what President Reagan did with his Star Wars threats, treated the same way in the Press, yet led to the dissolving of the USSR and the end of the Cold War. Nah, can't be, right?
Oh, come on. The DPRK has been playing this game since the armistice.
Our sanctions cripple them and their bronze age economy withers.
Offer to talk.
Talk, kinda, for as long as possible.
Gather rewards and humanitarian help.
Renege.
Rinse and repeat.
The song remains the same and the west sings along. Until Trump starts a war in which millions could die and the Korean peninsula is a smoking crater. The war hawks will be happy because now they will have, in addition to their nearly 20-year war in Afghanistan, another hot shooting war in SE Asia the arms merchants can milk for cash.
And our boys will once again be cannon fodder.
2
It appears our long time ally South Korea prefers an open dialogue with North Korea versus the insane nuclear threats of the United States. Go figure?
Sad.
4
Sounds like President Trump's strategy is generating results.
2
Blessings upon any and all efforts to bring peace! To bring harmony. To bring a cessation of hostilities. To bring talks and understanding.
This is a hopeful note in the constant cacophony wrought by Mr. Unfit.
Bring it on!
1
You talk of bringing peace, harmony, a cessation of hostilities, talks and understanding; and yet, you call the POTUS, like him or not, Mr. Unfit...
Quite paradoxical, don't you think?
Talk peace, talk harmony, talk about cessation of hostilities, talk understanding...and then call the POTUS, like him or not, Mr. Unfit.
That's paradoxical.
This could be the first step towards a peaceful reunification of Korea under the control of the government of S. Korea: precisely what the civilized world wants.
1
South Korea is as interested in reunification with North Korea as Virginia is interested in reunification with West Virginia. South Korea is a modern first world country with a thriving economy. North Korea is an extremely poor backwater that is in love with despotism.
While this is a positive development, I think we need to proceed with caution. I see this as a sign that sanctions might be starting to squeeze a bit and the Kim regime may be hoping to get the Kaesong industrial complex reopened or other easing of sanctions in order to get some much needed cash or food into the North. Also, I think it is important for people to realize that reunification is not in the cards for the foreseeable future, or maybe ever. First, South Korea is generally not interested in reunification. The South is a bustling, modern nation with a booming economy, with no interest in taking on the massive problems from the North. There are only so many Samsung and Kia job to go around. Second, the North's vision of reunification is a socialist Korea unified under supreme leader Kim, with North Korean culture and Juche ethos intact. Again, the South is not at all interested. Lastly, should the Kim regime fall, China and Russia will simply not allow a unified, nuclear Korea that is friendly to the USA to cozy up to their Southern borders. If the Kim regime falls, they will intervene. The best we can hope for, for now, is a North Korea that exists without making constant and direct threats against it's neighbors, and us.
I am sure our foreign policy experts are at a loss as how to respond to this development. It goes against the grain of our global policies of perpetual unrest and war.
1
Let the Koreans sort out their problems themselves without any interference from outside world. It looks like blessing in disguise. We don't need a nuclear war in any part of the world.
3
China keeps on winning. When will our President get tired of how much they are winning. The US leaving TPP and threatening trade sanctions on South Korea have finally paid off. China is great again. Imagine the cheering in Beijing when the US military is out of South Korea.
3
This is a good development for the Koreas. Trump's inflammatory rhetoric is yet another bad development for the U.S. and the world.
Trump should be removed from office, ASAP. He is not acting sanely or responsibly. We are all suffering more than we know from this presidency.
2
It is a good thing and probably Trump had something to do with it one way or the other.
Trump is (dumbly) playing an amazing game of good cop/bad cop.
With regards to N Korea, the nuclear horse is out of the barn, and will not return to it. North Korea will ignore any attempts to take away its nukes.
2
Karma? Korea and Germany, divided up after WWII as if they were some real estate developer's property, show the foolishness and arrogance of the so-called "major powers." It is a sign of maturation when the leaders ("owners") of those properties realize they've been duped and damaged and wake up to the call of reunification.
2
Good for both North and South. But South K. should not neglect what is behind this action. Looking back last couple decades, North K. used to take action on giving us a disease and then medicine. Heads up!
1
I'm sure Donald Trump, the Ralph Kramden of international relations, will have plenty of nothing to say about it.
2
Whether on the prompting or China or on its own, with his calling for the direct talks with the South Korea not only the novice looking Kim Jong-un has outmanoeuvred the bombastic Trump but also paved the way to defuse the crisis that was threatening the Korean peninsular stability and world peace. The immediate gesture of reciprocity by South Korea offers positive pointers for the cordial bilateral relations between the two Koreas in future.
16
Perhaps the bombastic Trump with his non-stop threats and hectoring may have contributed in some measure to this slightly more irenic posture by Rocket Man. I don't see this as outmaneuvering so much as making a good will gesture and proving he's not the Mad Man Trump has made him out to be. Good one Button Man! Perhaps we might enter into an agreement whereby we might swap presidents with North Korea, say, every two months.
No credit, not even a tiny, itsey, bitsey bit to Trump for maybe, possibly, way beyond the realm of imagination, nudging the brilliant strategist running the DPRK into making this conciliatory gesture? Naaa. Impossible right??
I agree and disagree. I agree that it is a good sign that North Korea is reaching out to South Korea. But I disagree that Kim has outmaneuvered Trump. I think Kim is realizing that he needs to back down but he is looking for a way to do it without looking like he backed down. He is trying to come off as this friendly (western suit wearing) Dear Leader that stood up to the US.
I don't think that Guam, Japan, South Korea, and the other countries in the region (especially those that would suffer the nuclear fallout) will soon forget his aggressive and reckless actions towards them.
1
But OUR Dear Leader has a bigger, but quite imaginary, Nuclear Button!
You have your Rocket Man, we have our Big Button Man!
Take that, you North AND South Koreans! Try to top THAT!
Seriously, there was a time when even The Onion would not have imagined up such utterances. But here we are…
49
Actually, virtually everything that comes out of the mouth of Huckleberry Sanders reads like Onion copy...
I’d like to see our pResident tweet that he has a bigger hotline than both of them put together.
8
Once again, the pResident brings people together.
7
It is it is nice to read the grown up leaders in North and South Korea are taking charge and working to solve a tense situation. Without a doubt this will lead to a better solution than our “My button is bigger than your button” idiot in the White House.
52
The Idiot's antics are very likely responsible for Kim's overture. Kim is looking for a way out of the most isolating position he's yet found himself in. Brought about by POTUS. To believe otherwise would be to have one's head in the sand.
I belive this is the starting of a new world order, where USA can be bypassed, or dosent want to be involved in international relations.
42
Agreed 100% and not only can but it should be bypassed. The world is a mess because Pres Bush thought getting Iraqi oil was going to be easy but the real result is a world in flames from Syria to Africa to Afghanistan. The great divide in US politics was deep and only getting deeper so why would the world want to be ruled by our World Order commands?.
Kim perceived the unprecedented threats of Trump as the bluff that they were.
He kept face among his people by out-insulting the Dotard, shrugging off Trump's Dudley Do-wrong naval maneuvers, and carrying on with little fear while pushing the envelope on provocation, knowing (probably from Xi), that the US is NEVER starting a new war in East Asia.
Instead of scaring Kim into stopping, Trump emboldened him into going full throttle into gaining credibility as a "nuclear" nation.
Now Kim has the ultimate wild card of security and gave his faithful legions a new level of faith in him as a man-god.
He's not about to end his run by starting a war, but neither does he have to fear being the next Gaddafi anymore.
And now he can work on bringing life back to his faltering economy.
Kim played Trump.
Trump played golf.
49
Such splendid news. Vive Korea!
8
Game changer.
2
Not sure why this is being reported as Kim shrewdly driving a wedge between Moon and Trump.
The goal for the United States all along has been to get Kim to come to the negotiating table and the only way to do that was to rally support for increasing sanctions (which they were able to do) and for Kim to believe that Trump is crazy enough to attack.
Get past the New York Times headlines and their 300 word pieces and dig deep into what the experienced foreign policy hands (Kissinger, Richard Haas, Scowcroft, etc) are saying and you will likely see this as a very positive development for the United States.
6
Agreed. Postive that North has reached out to South, but let's not be naive. This was done despite Trump and our foreign policy hands. This was done because Trump is a madman and cannot be trusted to worry about the decimation of South Korea.
When we have a President that brags about how big his nuclear button is compared to the other guy's nuclear button, then we have a real problem that must be solved one way or another. Trump is not just stupid. He's insane. Insanity and stupidity are two conditions that do not mix well with nuclear weapons. It is time to remove Trump from the Oval Office one way or another.
24
WIth all due respect too many Americans (especially in Congress and the corporate world) support Trump to imagine that he could ever be remove. Maybe, for right now, hope that the perils of him being president can be mitigated in other ways.
1
Trump is criminally insane. Which is way worse than simple insanity.
He should be in a locked facility for the criminally insane - unable to communicate with the outside world at large.
Even during the worst times of the Cold War with the USSR, lines of communication were kept open between the US and the USSR. If there is no communication, then the possibility of a diplomatic resolution or containment is likewise nil. All those who castigate attempts at diplomacy and who cheer the highly disturbing spectacle of a US President's schoolyard taunts about nuclear capability would do well to remember history.
50
Trump and his followers know no history and they seem happy for their ignorance. Sad
1
The USSR was run by sufficiently intelligent people with not necessarily the best intentions (rather, though not exactly, like the US). What that means is that they understood the unacceptability of nuclear war. They were also cautious about confrontation. It's fortunate for us that that neither superpower was governed by idiots.
Recent polling from South Korea...says they are MORE afraid of Trump than they are of Kim Jong-un. Just let that sink in for a minute.
If north and south Korea become unified....keeps the nukes..and throws out the U.S.....we have a whole new Asia ball game folks.
China and Russia would like to thank Trump supporters for "Making the rest of their world great again".
93
Now, if we could only get the Israelis to be more afraid of
Trump than they are of the Palestinians, we might have some progress there as well!!!
Have we started to believe in polls again?
Suzanne, there are a number of countries where there is more approval than disapproval of Trump's foreign policy. They include Russia, Vietnam. Philippines, India, Israel, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana.
If you read the New York Times, I very much doubt you would know this.
I personally welcome the dialogue between North and South Korea. My understanding is that Koreans regard themselves as ONE people and consider the division between North and South to be artificial.
1
The US will never allow unification of North and South Korea as it is used as an excuse to maintain military bases in South Korea. The foreign policy of the US is divide and conquer.
Many commenting here, including myself, blame the US or Trump for bringing us to the verge of a nuclear holocaust, but WE must take some responsibility for the situation we are in. We, the people have for too long allowed our elected governments to capitulate to US demands. We have allowed our governments to surrender our sovereignty to Washington. We have allowed our governments to govern for their own benefit or the benefit of the US. We have allowed the tail to wag the dog and have disillusioned ourselves that we live in a democracy. Now is the time to let our politicians know that we expect them to govern for our good, not the good of the US, Let them know and now before it is too late.
3
Sanctions have never worked against Cuba. What makes anyone think that they will work against North Korea which has had the same family running the country for decades. Please remember that the Cuban missile crisis almost started a thermal nuclear war. Is that what we want now?
3
It hurts so much that the "journalist" and accompanying comments cannot bring themselves to admit that under the Trump administration the relationship between the two Koreas is actually getting better. We better get the safe spaces, crayons, and coloring books ready again.
8
You have to wonder what President Trump thinks about this.
Ah but Royal K. You have to wonder if he thinks at all.
I doubt that Mr. Kim ever thought he could be out-crazied by an American President. Maybe it's not a bad thing if it drives him to open communications with the south. Perhaps he's figured out what everyone else has; the best way to deal with Trump is to find ways to go around him.
11
On the other hand, I myself am NOT surprised that partisan Democrats believe that Mr. Kimis being out-crazied by an American President.
Trump's policy, as detected from what he does and not what he says or what YOU say about him, is quite rational. It makes sense to threaten North Korea. It does not make sense to carry out that threat.
And for Democrats, it makes political sense to pretend that Trump will start WW3.
This is a brilliant understanding. Whereas the left uses the "any means to an end" strategy to enforce their ideology Trump uses the strategy to further America's interests.
1
There may be a winning argument for American withdrawal from the role of world's policeman, but Trump has not advanced that argument. Neither has he learned much from his divorces--better to leave on good terms, better to remain friends. Instead, he hurls insults like the nasty schoolboy he once was. He has now managed not only to break old alliances, but has managed to drag us all down with him. I have to think that NK leaders talk to Chinese diplomats and that a rapprochement on the Korean peninsula would be very much in China's favor. Trump may become a hero of the Chinese people, but he is hero at home only to his thoughtless supporters.
3
It is more than ironic that hopes for dialogue between North and South Korea share the headlines today with immature tweets from an American President taunting Kim Jong-un. Oh how we long for the days when an American President preferred diplomacy to juvenile tweets.
A compilation of such American Presidents would be long but rather than offer the comprehensive list, suffice to say it would have 43 names on it - 44 if you count Grover Cleveland twice.
6
I don't long for the policy of strategic patience. It's brought us Hydrogen rather than Uranium fueled bombs. Be careful what you wish for!
The best hope for the people on the Korean peninsula would seem to be dialogue with each other. Once knowledge from outside of North Korea begins to seep into that country, the potential for peaceful relations increases dramatically.
If America tires of being patient, the consequences could be dire. North Korea's march toward developing a nuclear capability may have been somewhat inevitable, but employing such weapons remains very much avoidable - something the world has managed successfully to avoid since 1945.
1
This has all been done before during the Cold War. A dictator throws a bone and Liberals go nuts. North Korea will extract economic help but will make no substantive changes. Close the Gulags? Open the borders? Not going to happen. What has Cuba done since Obama lifted sanctions? Nothing, and Cuba is Utopia compared to North Korea.
3
But how can we support North Korea? Didn’t US brainwashed the public that communism is the worst evil regime on earth? At least communist have universal healthcare and reasonable/free tuition and old people get respect. And socialism is communism lite so let’s treat it as a cancer as well. How can we make sure the rich can exploit the public if we didn’t now for the capitalism god?
3
I'd far rather read a news story about restarting dialogue between world leaders than read Trump's reckless, dangerous boasts about the size of his hands and buttons.
How is this a world where a many times-financially and morally bankrupt man has any say at all about whether our country goes to NUCLEAR WAR?
8
This is a good development for the Korean people and the world. Just because they will start talking doesn't mean North Korea will control and manipulate South Korea. Maybe instead the people of North Korea will become more aware of their diminished standard of living under Kim and want instead want democracy and its freedoms that South Koreans enjoy.
The simple fact is South Korea and the US don't have the same shared interests here. Trump is considering a preemptive strike before North Korea can develop an ICBM arsenal capable of striking the US. This would sacrifice millions of South Koreans and Japanese in the resulting artillery and missile exchange that the US could not stop. Simply stated under Trump the South Koreans don't see the US as a trusted ally.
38
North Korea already has ICBMs that can reach the United States. North Korea has not developed a nuclear weapon small enough to be carried on a ICBM. You are correct, if the United States were to preemptively strike North Korea the ensuing artillery and missile exchange with kill hundreds of thousands of South Koreans In the first three hours. Simply stated, Trump has no option other than to negotiate. Odd when you consider he is always saying he is the great negotiator. When has he ever in the last year negotiating anything?
For a country who unnecessarily spent 2.5 trillion dollars in Afghanistan and Iraq without anything to show except the lives and sufferings of our troops, and that of the civilians harmed in the wars, it is time to reassess who we are and what we want as a nation. That misspent money is what holds us from bringing the healthcare, education and infrastructure deserved by its citizens. After all, it was our own money. Do we need to stand between the two Koreas to protect our nation and interests? If we let the North Koreans continue nuclear and missile development, who are they going to use them against? The US? Nonsense, they will never risk obliteration. Time to call the bluff.
11
"except the lives and sufferings of our troops"
To be fair and compassionate we should not forget the sufferings of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of course Trump will try to obstruct this.
Unfortunately, I think a massive breach of trust opened up last year between South Korea and the United States when it became clear that a significant number of Americans supported the notion that a massive loss of civilian lives in South Korea would be an acceptable price to pay for permanently containing North Korea.
South Korean citizens cannot accept this tradeoff's being tacitly supported by the likes of Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham, and their supporters in South Carolina and throughout the United States. It's not an unreasonable position for South Koreans to take on this matter.
39
This North Korean leader is running circles around our fake dotard of a President. Looks like Trump will is about to get rid of another one of our allies, which, if my math is correct, makes Trump an enemy of the USA.
4
It must be exhausting to try to find ways to spin this news negatively toward Trump.
I can do math, too: lower threat of nuclear holocaust = good news
Like the leaders of other countries in recent months, the Koreans are stepping around our "leader" as if he were something the dog left on the sidewalk. All that bragging about a "bigger button" is a pathetic attempt to look manly. The base may buy this Freudian baloney, but the world beyond Fox, not so much. Kim Jong Un just trumped Trump.
29
THIS is why Kim Jung Un should NOT have nuclear weapons. Now, he's going to continue bullying others to get what he wants under the continuous threat of a nuclear strike. He won't negotiate... he'll dictate. We NEED to remove him from power and destroy his nuclear arsenal. It's horrible that many lives will be lost but this man canNOT be allowed to wield nuclear power. He's a dictator. A dictator with nuclear weapons now. This can't be allowed to stand. He'll continue to starve his people and keep the elites in power while bullying the nations around him and around the world. NOTHING good will come of this man having nuclear weapons... NOTHING! He needs to be removed.
3
Everything you say of Kim applies even more so to Trump--word for word.
4
Are you referring to Trump when you say "dictator" ? Sounds like a familiar story.
2
So how do you propose accomplishing that? Oh, I know: let’s tweet that our nuke button is bigger than his. That’ll scare him into submission!
1
North Korea wants to drive a wedge between South Korea and the USA. I would hope that this is transparent to South Korea.
2
South Koreans trust Kim more than our unpredictable and at- times- crazy Trump. There is no wedge. This may all be welcome by the South Koreans. Trump is playing it all wrong.
1
Looks like Kim wants NK to participate in the Olympics. Good PR for him in NK. And that could be all it is.
Well, at least they speak the same language.
3
South Korea, one of the most advanced countries in the world could do a lot to help their brothers and sisters in the north. I feel there is still common sense left between them to figure out a solution. The biggest thing that might come out of this is to show the world how America is suddenly no longer driving change and is not even riding in the front seat.
22
If the US kept its nose out of so many thing the world might be a whole lot better place with more people cooperating with each other. I'm not an isolationist, but it is time we paid attention to the "beam" in our own proverbial eye (see the article on the latest expression of greed; $4000 urinalysis) and quit trying to tell other countries how to run their lives. As it is, we pick and choose, buddying up to Saudi Arabia, the country that sent most of the 9/11 terrorists, while slamming Iran which has never attacked us in any way despite our years of interference in their affairs.
37
Renewed dialogue between North and South Korea is a good thing that happened for all the wrong reasons. Assuming this renewed dialogue is successful in reducing tensions on the peninsula then Pyongyang, Seoul and China win. America will remain in its new role on the world stage - on the sidelines warming the bench.
1
God Help America. I've just peeked at major media in the civilized world. All are convinced that Kim is more rational than Donald and less dangerous. After all, Kim's family has been in this business for 50 years, Trump's just a pampered crook. Trump will now start tweeting his resentment of South Korea, which may rob him of his moment of glory, by preventing nuclear war. Megalomania and rot, between the two (under-employed) ears of Trump. That kowtowing session at the last cabinet meeting was a sign-- he's in the Bunker with Eva. As the Russia investigation draws closer and pegs his conspirators, expect more and more deranged behavior. NYT, tell it as it is.
83
Not so fast.
Trust but verify.
I trust everyone, but cut the cards. Twain.
Any sane U.S. President would support talks between North and South Korea. Instead, ours Tweets nuclear threats to appear relevant. Trump might have been relevant if he'd been effective in dealing with Kim Jong-Un. He hasn't. Instead he has insisted that Kim give up his nuclear program at the same time he has threatened to cancel the U.S. deal that led Iran to give up their nuclear program. What a deal maker!
30
While wanting to be optimistic, this will be yet another action by North Korea to buy time, get aid, dilute international will, escape the effect of sanctions and all the while continue the weapons development. The regime relies on a constant war like environment to keep the attention away from the mismanagement of economy and brutality towards citizens.
South Korea is anxious to start negotiations as that is the only thing they can do and also want to get the Olympics run successfully. But appeasement of North Korea over the last 20 years has not yielded any different results and this time will be no different. USA has to look at if the long term interests of South Korea are aligned with theirs and if not, empower South Korea to step up to resolve their differences with the North and not just rely on USA for protection while following their own strategy with North Korea. USA Armed forces cannot be relegated to a mercenary role in the Korean peninsula, to be called upon when convenient for South Korea.
5
To what end? North Korea is only a threat to the United States IF they believe we are going to attack them.
Three generations of Kims have used bluster and baloney to gain attention, but they know that is all they can ever gain.
The dialog is not between the two Korean parts , but rather between China and the U.S. ( military industrial complex and private money interests )
There is an ebb and a flow to the movement and rhetoric, and the pulling back of such is in full swing now that everyone has been ginned up. Everyone is primed to look away or to accept any ''deals'' at any cost to retain peace and calm.
It is a tried and true strategy so that the theft can continue and the ''sheople'' remain docile and not demand human rights that we take for granted in the west.
Nothing more...
2
A welcome development. Certainly more encouraging than the spectacle of two petulant teenagers comparing their `buttons'. There is no hope that wisdom of any kind will emerge from Washington. The best the amateurs there can do is remain quiet. The South Koreans, the most vulnerable of all, deserve our support as they try to contain a situation only worsened by mindless tweets.
1
This is a clear attempt to create a divide between S.Korea and its allies. North Korea needs to understand that peace with S.Korea does not mean the world will accept its nuclear ambition. There is much more at stake than peace on the peninsula.
1
As Lindsey Graham says, Don't worry the carnage will happen there not here, so if there is lessening of tensions between the north and south, the carnage that the US can unleash can be done without even a semblance of concedrn. After all they are all the same. Just look at them. And we've done it before. So what's the big deal.
1
The Korean people, on both sides of the DMZ, know that a war would mean the worst episode of genocide in human history.
They also know Donald Trump is not only deeply mentally ill, but a fool driven by vanity, arrogance, and ignorance.
The world knows that a unified Korean peninsula would be a formidable cultural, economic and strategic force. The Chinese and the Japanese purposely sowed strife, invaded and asserted brutal forms of control over Korea because they know that unified and free, the Korean culture would dominate the Pacific Rim.
This is why it remains divided. This is why China diddles around.
The North Korean regime is essentially an organized crime family, no different than any kleptocracy around the world.
Donald Trump is a buffoonish version of this model. The Trump Organization has more in common with North Korea than The Donald would like to admit.
So, the North and South Koreans open a dialogue and shut out everyone else.
This is probably in the best interest of the entire Korean peninsula.
Peace in Korea is not in Donald Trump's best interest. He needs a war to stay out of jail and serve his full term.
Scary times.
3
Obviously the economic sanctions are taking their toll on North Korea and Kim Jong-un is attempting to save face by reaching out to South Korea as opposed to proposing talks directly with the U.S.
1
With world peace seeming a constant impossibility, dialogue between North and South Korea should give us all hope that peace is possible. Let's all put out good wishes for a unified Korea.
41
Anyone who thinks North Korea is interested in peace with any free country should grow up. The North Korean regime is a murdering, terrorist organization. In NK all citizens are forced to have a picture of the current dictator and the previous dictator hung on their walls at all times. In addition they are required to keep their radios turned on and tuned to the state run propaganda channel 24/7. failure to do either of these is punishable by hard labor or death.
I know everyone wished there could be peace with places like North Korea but I wish Santa was real................
3
"Washington is concerned that its South Korean ally, in its eagerness... might make too many concessions.. like allowing it to keep its nuclear weapons program intact."
We over here think of North and South Korea as two seperate countries, arch enemies, and solely dependent on their benefactors, China and the U.S., to protect them from one another. Not so, there was a time when there was one Korea.
60 years have gone by and nothing has changed. Stalemate. Might be worth letting the two sides get together and try solving their differences. China, the U.S., and the U.N. have had zero success.
Trump, Tillerson and company have clearly demonstrated their ever changing rhetoric and ineptness at negotiating anything for anybody. Keep them at bay, and there may just be some good to come out of these talks between the North and South.
65
While Mr. Trump pleases himself with taunts, it seems Mr. Kim is making some pretty smart moves towards South Korea. It would appear, since Mr. Moon can't get Trump to behave like an adult, he'll open talks himself. Again, (and again) Trump seems blissfully unconcerned with American interests and obsessed with grandstanding about how much bigger and more powerful HIS button is versus Mr. Kim's button. Mr. Super-Negotiator is falling for another classic misdirect. Can't help but wonder if Mr. Kim was watching Mr. Xi Jinping's strategy unfold in China. Everybody is getting Trump's number.
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They got Trump's number from V. Putin.
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The United States needs to stand down and Trump and Haley should Shut Up! Compared with the Dotard, North Korea is sounding like the more resasonable adult in the room. A scary thought. It seems the United States causes more problems than it solves when we get involved in other countries business. How can the United States tell other countries they cannot have a nuclear weapon when it has many more with plans to improve them?
Isolation is not the answer. Inclusion is the answer. Whatever the reason it is good news South and North Korea are trying to improve relations. Good work Mr. Moon.
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It would be hard to believe that China and Russia would stand benignly by while North and South Korea develop understandings and agreements. Are we thinking Beijing and Moscow has adopted, or will adopt any version of "Let them work it out"? Does anyone think Mr. Kim is ready to stand down DPRK's nuclear development program and accept outside verification? By whom? And finally, Mr. Moon has seemed somewhat desperate (perhaps understandably) for a deal. Is he likely to be a match in negotiating with Mr. Kim?
Mr. Kim is well aware of president Moon's desire to make nice and show that he is a peace leader. As in the past,North Korea will extract money, food,and aid that the South is willing to give under any condition. I believe the US should begin removing its military from the South. and allow both Koreas to work out their differences. Our military presence in Korea is a relec from the cold war. Korea is of no strategic importance to us. I had served in Korea at Osan Air Base. Most young Koreans who don`t know of the Korean war do not like America, and want us out.
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Letting NK dictate any road to peace or accommodation will fail. It has no intention of giving up nukes, nor of unification on anything other than Communist- Stalinist terms. It always has talked to delay as it built weapons. We are its violin and the Kim family plays it well. It's an outcast mafia state pure and simple. Isolation in all respects is the answer. Make it pay for its rogue ways.
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And who will make us pay for the rogue ways of our swaggering-bully foreign policy under our current gangster regime?
Is it Communist or is it a "mafia state"?
The important thing is to get the North Koreans talking to somebody. Anyone familiar with negotiation with a hostile and uncooperative party knows the "Good Cop-Bad Cop" technique of getting someone talking. Trump has assumed his usual role of the Bad Cop.
Its like WWE wrestling. Don't take everything you see and hear literally.
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Just to bring you up to date on what has been happening. The hotline has been disconnected for two years; that, proceeds this President. The US has nobody left in its repertoire of established players, that could play a believable "Good Cop". That role is now being played by the and only Donald Trump; drawing upon a reservoir of mercantile philosophy. As opposed to social dictates -- which disconnected the line.
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I'm sorry, but if nuclear-tinged international diplomacy is akin to fake 'rasslin', then Dotard J. Trump has already done more damage than we have previously suspected.
We are in trouble when North Korea looks like the only adult in the room.
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No, Moon and the South Koreans are also acting like adults. It's only Trump who is shaking his baby rattle.
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Watch what Trump does not what Trump says. He is a pragmatist as is Kim.
Not really. This could pan out quite well for the peninsula. We can offer to remove our forces in exchange for all testing to halt.
All can pretend NK has vast nuclear power.
Saving face is the only way out that works in these situations.
Kim’s move is a big whataboutery. Nothing else. Only Moon can be fooled and if Kim learns that only Moon can be fooled, it is a good return for the recent tighter implementation of sanctions.
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The Korean war, the war that never ends. I am going on 66 and my Dad was stationed there in the army when I was born.
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Likewise, dad was with the 25th Infantry Division, near the Punchbowl, when I was born.
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Remember that it was a ping-pong game that cracked wall between China and the United States In 1971 – 72.
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No it wasn't. It was finally US flexibility to accommodate a Communist China because it needed to balance the world against the USSR and in Vietnam. Countries only talk when they have no other means to aggressively force their agenda. If there is peace to be had it will be very cold and only meant to funnel capital to a decrepit nuclear North and nothing else.
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OMG I'd totally forgot about that..
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We get all that, but sports venues have been icebreakers many times. It's like a first kiss..A soccer game almost broke the freeze between Armenia and Turkey a few years ago, and it was indeed ping pong which was the first kiss between China and the US..
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I think this is a wonderful development and I hope it will lead to the reunification of Korea and a raised standard of living and peace for all. Too long has miscommunication ruled. Let dialogue, exchange, communication and diplomacy prevail. There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.
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If, if, if. If my grandmother had wings and wheels she'd be a 747 but she doesn't. Wanting dialogue and peace from a fascist regime is a fool's errand. Assume NK is Nazi Germany here and tell me again how it agrees to anything or can be held to its commitments.
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Sounds like the Neville Chamberlain approach in the 1930's. That worked out real well didn't it?
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No, it doesn't. Nobody has invaded anyone else, no one has taken any territory, and the two nations negotiating are historically and culturally one nation.
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