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| The view of Resorts World Sentosa island in Singapore is pictured on June 6, 2018. A highly anticipated meeting between US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place at a resort island off Southern Singapore. AFP |
By Kim Jae-kyoung
SINGAPORE ― U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un must meet each other halfway to produce tangible outcomes at the June 12 summit, according to an international security expert, Wednesday.
"Unless both leaders understand each other's red lines and come ready to compromise, this summit might turn out to be a wasted opportunity," Liang Tuang Nah, a research fellow of the Military Studies Program at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, said in an interview.
The institute is a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
He stressed before any discussion begins, both Trump and Kim need to understand what either are prepared to initially give up and where they insist on holding firm.
"On Trump's end, he would need to understand that quick disarmament?within six months?is extremely unrealistic and that Kim will not relinquish his nuclear and missile program before sanctions relief," he said.
"On Kim's part, he must realize that he is in no legal position to demand the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea, the abolition of the American nuclear umbrella over the ROK, or a permanent end to U.S.-ROK military exercises."
President Trump and Chairman Kim are scheduled to meet at the Capella Hotel on Singapore's resort island of Sentosa on June 12 to discuss North Korea's denuclearization. There are reports emerging that the summit may continue for another day, although nothing has been confirmed.
Tuang, a specialist on nuclear weapons politics and North Korean affairs, said there are three thorny issues to be addressed to ensure success for the historic summit between a sitting American president and a North Korean leader.
"U.S. military activities in South Korea, Washington's need for irreversible denuclearization and North Korean impatience for the lifting of sanctions are going to be key," he said.
In his view, in as much as Trump wants the Korean crisis to be resolved quickly to add a "feather in his cap," a more realistic outcome is a phased reciprocal approach where Pyongyang trades irreversible and substantial denuclearization steps for partial sanctions relief and steps toward a peace treaty formally ending the Korean War.
"The key is that Washington must see that Pyongyang's treasured sword is being rendered inert, while the Kim regime must perceive that sanctions will eventually be fully lifted," he said.
"Also, it would help if political moves toward a peace treaty were discussed and eventually agreed upon at the summit."
Tuang believes one of the major challenges for the Trump-Kim summit is to build trust as they have yet to find common ground.
Trump wants complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) immediately, while Kim Jong-un wants phased denuclearization calling for security guarantees and economic aid.
"Trust can only be built up over time and the best way of doing so is when each side sees the other honoring their side of the bargain," he said.
He suggested that in the interim, Beijing and Seoul step in as guarantors of Pyongyang's good behavior.
"For example, Beijing supplies almost all of Pyongyang's oil needs and could advise that Pyongyang acts in good faith, fulfilling all agreements, to ensure an uninterrupted supply," he said.
"As for Seoul's part, it could seek waivers from UNSC sanctions to allow South Korea to resume operations at the Gaeseong industrial park together with North Korea, as a reward for continued denuclearization progress."
Lastly, he suggested a significant confidence-building measure could be for officers of the Korean People's Army be invited to observe the less sensitive portions of South Korea-U.S. military exercises.
Similarly, U.S. and South Korean military experts could be invited to witness the decommissioning of North Korean nuclear infrastructure or missiles, he added.
