Trump and Kim

The new relationship would include building a lasting peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, committing DPRK to work toward “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and recovering the remains of U. S. soldiers missing in action (MIA) from the Korean War. [...] Thus, denuclearization of the peninsula means “removing elements of nuclear threats from the areas of both north and south of Korea and also from surrounding areas from where the Korean peninsula is targeted.”. [...] However, in the run-up to the Hanoi summit, the U. S. and DPRK have had what hopefully may be substantive working-level talks regarding the way forward. [...] Moon has met Kim three times, including in Pyongyang, and has advocated the re-connection of North/South roads and railways, the resuscitation of economic joint ventures and the sharing of South Korean technical expertise. [...] Indeed, as part of the 1994 U. S.-DPRK framework agreement, the U. S. undertook to “provide formal assurances to the DPRK against the threat or use of nuclear weapons by the US.” But this recurring issue does raise questions of U. S. commitment to extended deterrence over South Korea and Japan at a sensitive time.