Posted on 05/06/2018 7:12:17 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
Summary synopsis of Korean language version (link above):
North Korea through the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) today stated that the barely one week old "Panmunjom Agreement" between Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae In is falling victim to "misinterpretation" by the United States and threatened the talks between Kim and Trump will go nowhere and "things will return to zero" if the following happens: a) there is no loosening of economic sanctions currently on North Korea even prior to denuclearization; b) there is any pressure on them in the area of human rights.
KCNA has, in fact, carried it, the official voice of the North Korean regime, stating also Kim Jong Un is in firm control of the talks from the DPRK side; further this statement is being relayed in major Japanese conservative daily "Sankei" Shimbun today in Japanese:
http://www.sankei.com/world/news/180506/wor1805060029-n1.html
I see AP and CBS carrying it in the US as well.
Clinton and Obama would have done it.
Not Trump. He isn’t from the peace at any price crowd.
North Korea can begin dismantling its nukes or face collapse.
This will not play out well for them.
My own assessment is that the talks will not even occur. But we will see. Bolton and Pompeo will have to also stay the course on this one and back up DJT and accordingly show NK in no uncertain terms there is a new sheriff in town this time, not like under Clinton, Bush, Obama.
Prediction: If there is a counter response to this threat that is not to their liking, they will withdraw the move (rumored for today or tomorrow) to release those three US captives in DPRK. They are using them just as pawns anyways to flip US policy as they did with the two female journalists, the whole crew of the USS Pueblo, ad infinitum. They must be made aware that their tantrums and other tactics will not work this time.
Temper tantrum in aisle five has always been the lynch pin of North Korean foreign policy.
Scott Adams predicted that there would be a point where the negotiations would go south but we’d still get the desired end result anyway. Here it is.
Oh, it is posturing alright. I agree. That is why this whole recent nonsense of a Nobel Peace Prize must be suspended immediately because it plays into DPRK hands and gives them a pressure point and weakens the position of the President. We don’t need that kind of nonsense right now. There will be time for that but it will be years down the line after so much has happened that needs to happen, there are many obstacles to pass over between now and that time.
You can bet China has their hands in this development as the tariff talks are not going well between us.
We can only hope and pray that this is how it plays out, as you say.
Kim’s playbook was based on the North Vietnam-South Vietnam scenario - “peace talks” lead to U.S. agreement to remove U.S. forces from South Korea; leading to international money/investment leaving South Korea; leading to economic collapse of South Korea and when the last U.S. troop ship and helicopter departs South Korea the North invades, needing them only conventional arms. I am not “selling” that. That is what Kim is/was thinking.
I guess he ignored that folks like Bolton and Pompeo know that playbook too and aren’t buying it.
Kim is thinking he can get things he wants while giving up nothing and continue the nuclear blackmail as his “or else” condition.
I am hoping and praying that Trump says “go ahead”, play your “or else”, you’ll lose everything.
Agreed on all points. I think NK will use any excuse not to meet and blame it on the US. They must save face at all costs.
Yet the economic pressures are taking their toll and will continue. And Trump is very good at playing the long game with patience. It's the nature of his development business experience.
He won’t have the opportunity to walk away. If these are the conditions, he’ll just say thanks but no thanks and not even go. Then toughen the sanctions and put some big powerful ships offshore.
I can't imagine Trump gives a hoot about the Nobel Peace Prize.
Good point. I meant "walk away" to mean the negotiations wouldn't even begin.
Fully agreed, and very well stated, sir (or ‘ma’am!)
“...so it is no surprise they are resorting to it again since it [USED TO WORK] for them.”
Fixed! :)
Enter, President Donald Trump.
Even with DPRK’s Office 39 working 24/7 through illicit channels to feed the regime, if the sanctions stay solidly in place, projections are that by October or November, the Kim regime could well collapse. That is because they will have lost the power to internally bribe the cadre, their only way of staying alive. They will be “offed” if and when the cadre and elite realize they are getting no more from the gravy train, which they enjoyed through Grand Dad and Dad’s regimes essentially uninterrupted. I say LET EM WALK.
I don’t think the usual NK antics will work on Trump.
Will wait to see what shakes out before jumping this shark....
Lol!
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