Positive outcome

The five-hour long historic meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump has paved the way for denuclearisation and has reaffirmed the Panmunjom Declaration which had made a commitment albeit vague to “complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula”.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed with US President Donald Trump to completely denuclearise the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guarantees. It now remains to be seen how soon and fast the process of denuclearisation would begin. Both the leaders have assured that the sanctions would come off soon and that the US would lift the sanctions once it was sure that the nukes are no longer there. It is heartening to hear that the US would stop war games with South Korea and US would take back about 32,000 soldiers who are now in Korea.

The agreement according to Trump would take care of a very big and very dangerous problem for the world and promises to promote fresh relations between the two countries and promote peace, prosperity and security in the region. Chairman Kim who looked uncomfortable and tense before the four-hour long meeting as they then moved to the meeting room and was leaning forward in his chair, appeared more familiar and relaxed as the two leaders had overcome many obstacles. The pair appeared to be more familiar and relaxed, according to observers.

The US and the DPRK agreement appears to be a departure from the rhetoric that was witnessed all these day between these two countries. It also gives an indication that Kim now wants to focus on economic progress of the country. The agreement promises to establish new US-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.

Secondly, the United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. It reaffirms the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Finally, US and the DPRK commit to recovering PoW including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.

If one reads between the lines of the agreement it gives an impression that it does not meet Washington’s long-stated goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement (CVID) of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. But certainly, it is a step forward.

How fast things will move forward would now depend on the follow up talks between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official slated to be held at the earliest would have to focus on establishing new relations between US and North Korea. Building a lasting and stable peace on Korean Peninsula would depend on these talks.

The summit in Singapore was the first between the leaders of North Korea and the US after nearly 70 years of confrontation and 25 years of failed negotiations and tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear programme. Hence, if the Tuesday’s agreement is taken forward effectively Chairman Kim would be remembered as the leader who ushered in a new era of security and prosperity which was so far unthinkable.