The Wall Street Journal reports today: President Trump is urging his aides to strive for a meeting this fall with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

• Trump has privately proposed arranging this meeting during his upcoming Asian trip in November, coinciding with his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Shenzhen. Their last face-to-face meeting took place on June 30, 2019, at Panmunjom, located within the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

• On Sunday, Trump ordered a reduction in U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises, citing his personal rapport with Kim Jong-un. The following day, he accused South Korea of refusing to cooperate with the U.S. on matters related to the Strait of Hormuz.

• Trump stated that Kim Jong-un has responded positively to his overtures for dialogue.

With no tangible victory achieved in the Iran conflict, securing a summit with Kim Jong-un represents a diplomatic achievement that does not require Tehran’s cooperation and can be claimed unilaterally.

However, the issue lies in Pyongyang’s careful observation of evolving developments. Over the past six months, Kim Jong-un has personally witnessed the fate of Iran—a nation that voluntarily relinquished its own deterrent capabilities.

Commentary: As the U.S. midterm elections in November draw nearer, if the Republicans lose control of Congress, Trump risks becoming a “lame duck” president, facing significant constraints in governance. With no standout achievements in the Iran conflict and negotiations stalled, he is now eager to arrange a summit with Kim Jong-un to produce visible diplomatic accomplishments—boosting voter support and improving election prospects. To this end, he is willing to unilaterally scale back U.S.-South Korea joint military drills and send clear signals of easing tensions toward North Korea.

Yet achieving substantial breakthroughs from such a summit remains highly unlikely. Kim Jong-un has been closely watching Iran’s example and clearly understands that abandoning strategic deterrence does not guarantee security; thus, he is unlikely to make concessions easily on nuclear issues. Even if the two leaders meet successfully, the outcome will likely amount to little more than a symbolic diplomatic appearance, with few concrete, long-term agreements. It seems improbable that Trump can rely on a single summit to salvage his election campaign or resolve the prolonged nuclear impasse on the Korean Peninsula.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873937837143050/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.