Donald Trump becomes 1st sitting US president to enter North Korea

United States President Donald Trump became 1st sitting US president to set foot in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (or North Korea) when he met its leader, Kim Jong Un, in Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea.

Key Highlights

President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks.

This was the third meeting between two leaders in just over a year on old Cold War frontier that for decades has symbolised hostility between their countries, which are technically still at war.

Unique 3-way Gathering: Trump while escorted by Kim, briefly crossed a military demarcation line into North Korea and moments later, they returned to South Korean side and joined South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in for a brief chat, marking an unprecedented 3-way gathering.

About US-North Korea Meet

1st summit: In 2018 between North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump was held in Singapore city, called as North Korea–United States Singapore Summit or Singapore Summit. At the summit a joint statement was signed between two agreeing to security guarantees for North Korea, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, new peaceful relations, recovery of soldiers’ remains, and follow-up negotiations between high-level officials.

2nd summit: In February 2019 in Hanoi, Vietnam called as 019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit, or Hanoi Summit. This meet was cut short and that no agreement was reached as two sides failed to narrow differences between US demand for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and a North Korea’s demand for relief of sanctions.

Why is meet Important?

Now for years North Korea has pursued nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and easing tensions with North Korea and denuclearisation of Korean peninsula is one of US president’s top foreign policy priorities.

North Korea (DMZ) was set up after 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a truce, leaving North Korea and a US-led U.N.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2019