트럼프, 북미정상회담 취소 "회담 개최 지금은 부적절하다"
From "We'll see" to "We're out"
That's the sudden change coming from the U.S. President on the planned meeting with his North Korean counterpart.
Pointing to Pyongyang's anger and hostility as the reason for the decision, Donald Trump told Kim Jong-un via a letter, that he's pulling the plug on the summit.
Park Hee jun starts things off with the surprise announcement.
U.S. President Donald Trump shook the world with his sudden cancelation of the highly-anticipated North Korea-U.S. summit that had been set for June 12th in Singapore.
"I have decided to terminate the planned summit in Singapore on June 12th. While many things can happen and a great opportunity lies ahead potentially, I believe that this is a tremendous setback for North Korea and indeed a setback for the world."
During his statement at the White House Thursday, President Trump said a bright and beautiful future can only happen when the threat of nuclear weapons is removed, and warned Pyongyang that the U.S. is more ready than it has ever been before.
Adding the U.S. has support from its allies, including South Korea and Japan, President Trump urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to "ultimately do what is right" for himself and for his people.
Stressing that his administration's maximum pressure and sanctions campaign will remain in the meantime, Trump nevertheless left the door open for a future meeting with Kim.
"... hopefully everything's going to work out well with North Korea and a lot of things can happen, including the fact that perhaps, and we'd wait, it's possible that the existing summit could take place or a summit at some later date. Nobody should be anxious, we have to get it right."
The news was announced earlier in the day in a letter to Kim Jong-un that was released by the White House.
President Trump's letter pointed at the "tremendous anger and open hostility" displayed in North Korea's most recent statement as the reason for the cancelation.
This appears to be in relation to remarks made by North Korea's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Choe Son-hui.
She lashed out at U.S. Vice President Mike Pence for saying the North could end up like Libya if a deal is not reached.
Trump concluded the letter saying the world, and North Korea in particular, had lost a great opportunity for lasting peace and prosperity, but he also put the ball back in Pyongyang's court saying he's always open for talks should Kim Jong-un change his mind.
Kwon Jang-ho, Arirang News.
