Donald Trump’s Un-historic meeting with Kim Jong-Un
Jonah Losh, Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com
In the first week of March, Donald Trump accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, in an unprecedented gesture to come to terms with one of the most volatile countries of the twenty-first century. Even more shocking, North Korea is toying with denuclearization.
Trump tweeted: “Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!”
The date predicted for the meeting will be sometime in May. It will be the first time leaders of the United States and North Korea have met.
Political science professor Mark Roeder of North Greenville University shared his thoughts on the “historic” meeting.
“It is a shift” in the direction of our relationship with North Korea; whether anything good comes of it we have yet to see. But the very fact that Kim Jong-Un is seeking to meet with Trump is indicative that Trump’s aggressive rhetoric is much more effective than Obama’s.” Roeder went on to say that during the Obama administration, we saw conversations going through the “channels” of other countries.
When continuing on about the Obama administration, Roeder stated that, “Jong-Un was not concerned with breaking his promises with the Obama administration.” It seems there was ‘something in Obama’s tone’ that made Jong-Un think, I can tell anything to this administration, and they will buy it, and I can do whatever I want.”
But according to Roeder, Trump needs to deliver a different message:
“Trump needs to continue to show that there is a new sheriff in town, and that we are not going to handle the situation like we have in the past. He needs to tell Jong-Un that he needs to uphold his end of the bargain or face severe penalties. We have to do a better job at holding Jong-Un to his word.”
Respect is very important in Asian cultures, especially for a nation’s leaders, Roeder stated. If Jong-Un does not feel like he is being respected, then he will do something drastic, which is why he began the nuclear program and maybe why he is open to ending it. Trump needs to come in to the meeting with a certain amount of respect for the North Korean leader.
“He has to be diplomatic. He must listen and consider what the more experienced people around him are saying,” said Roeder. While giving Jong-Un respect, Trump also has to maintain his “America first” mentality and stay firm with the “little rocket man.” At the same time, he has to figure out a sensible “exit strategy” from the Korean nuclear program, mentioned Roeder.
Trump also has to listen to input those around him, and if he does have people giving him good advice, then something good can come of it.
Finally, while Trump does have negotiating experience, he will have to be exceptional in the May meeting.
“Dealing with wolf [national] leaders is a little different from dealing with CEO weasels,” stated Roeder. “The stakes are a lot higher.”
Former Obama administration special assistant Jon Wolfsthal said, “The US must pursue this idea. Skepticism is healthy but the chance for progress is too good to pass up.”
Kim Jong-Un is a “wildcard,” according to Roeder. Could we be looking at an upcoming era of peace, or does North Korea have something unpropitious up its sleeve?
