Let's get some U.S. perspective on this week's South Korea-U.S. summit and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea and hopefully bring a lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula.
I’m joined on Skype by Lisa Collins, Fellow of the Korea Chair Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
I'd like to start by asking you about Tuesday’s summit. President Moon Jae-in acknowledged some public skepticism in the U.S. about the planned North Korea-U.S. summit, but he said he had "every confidence" Trump can make a deal, end the Korean War and bring "peace and prosperity" for North Korea. Do you share President’s Moon’s sense of optimism?
President Trump indicated to reporters after his summit with President Moon that he’s willing to wait if necessary to hold his summit with Kim Jong-un. It seemed to be a move to win back some leverage from Pyongyang and also Beijing. Do you think China has been pulling strings behind the scenes.. because the North went from warm words to thinly-veiled threats pretty soon after Kim’s second meeting with Xi Jinping?
We know that President Trump jumped at the chance to meet with Kim Jong-un really quickly, reports say 45 minutes and he didn't consult his aides either. It’s difficult to tell what is going on behind the scenes diplomatically,… but does the rush to hold the North Korea-U.S. summit so quickly concern you?
President Trump has mentioned numerous times that the U.S. will guarantee Kim Jong-un’s safety in return for what the U.S. wants ? namely the North’s complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization. Essentially "I can make your country rich and let you stay in power. Just give me the nukes." Do you think that's a deal Kim is ready to take?
Quickly before we let you go,… Trump and Kim shaking hands in Singapore on June 12th… if you had to put a percentage on it happening right now... what would you say?
Alright. Lisa Collins at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Thanks.
