Trump prepares to meet Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarized Zone

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to hold a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. According to Nikkei Asia, the option of the American president’s visit to the Demilitarized Zone, located between North and South Korea, is under discussion.

This step may become a continuation of previous initiatives for direct negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, which were earlier interrupted due to the lack of tangible results on the issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Nevertheless, the very fact of a possible personal contact between Trump and Kim Jong Un is perceived as a signal of the parties’ readiness to return to dialogue.

Meetings between Trump and Kim have already taken place earlier: in 2018 in Singapore and in 2019 in Vietnam. At that time, the parties signed statements of intent and expressed readiness for a peaceful settlement, but no practical steps were taken to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear program.

The current initiative of the American president coincides with rising tensions in the region and the increased military activity of the U.S. and its allies on the Korean Peninsula. Washington has repeatedly stated the need to maintain pressure on Pyongyang, while the North Korean side insists on the recognition of its security and the abandonment of hostile policy.

Specific dates of Trump’s visit to South Korea have not yet been announced. However, the very possibility of his appearance in the Demilitarized Zone is seen as a diplomatic gesture capable of reviving the negotiation process.