Trump–Kim Summit, 12 June 2018 – An Assessment

Abstract

An assessment of the Trump-Kim Summit held in Singapore on 12 June 2018 is made. We look at Trump’s key policies as articulated by him from time to time, North Korea’s nuclear bomb and missile program, and the Summit at Singapore to understand the evolving scenario. The core issue is denuclearization of North Korea and its ability to militarily target the United States. The principal state actors are Donald Trump as President of the United States, and Kim Jung Un as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with uniquely different backgrounds, political beliefs, culture, experience, and biological age (Kim is about half the age of Trump). Each is instinctively trying to deal with the other in the larger interests of their respective nations. The world is witnessing a unique historical saga, and for that reason alone it is a worthy subject of study.

Keywords: Trump-Kim Summit, Denuclearization, North & South Korea