Trump says Kim Jong Un risks losing 'everything' after North Korea claims major test

[webfact]

Trump says Kim Jong Un risks losing 'everything' after North Korea claims major test

By Soyoung Kim and Josh Smith

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un risks losing "everything" if he resumes hostility and his country must denuclearize, after the North said it had carried out a "successful test of great significance."

 

"Kim Jong Un is too smart and has far too much to lose, everything actually, if he acts in a hostile way. He signed a strong Denuclearization Agreement with me in Singapore," Trump said on Twitter, referring to his first summit with Kim in Singapore in 2018.

 

"He does not want to void his special relationship with the President of the United States or interfere with the U.S. Presidential Election in November," he said.

 

North Korea's state media KCNA reported earlier on Sunday that it had carried out a "very important" test at its Sohae satellite launch site, a rocket-testing ground that U.S. officials once said North Korea had promised to close.

 

The reported test comes ahead of a year-end deadline North Korea has imposed for the United States to drop its insistence on unilateral denuclearization. Pyongyang has warned it could take a "new path" amid the stalled talks with the United States.

 

"North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, has tremendous economic potential, but it must denuclearize as promised," Trump said on Twitter.

 

The KCNA report called it a "successful test of great significance" but did not specify what was tested.

 

Missile experts said it appeared likely the North Koreans had conducted a static test of a rocket engine, rather than a missile launch.

 

"If it is indeed a static engine test for a new solid or liquid fuel missile, it is yet another loud signal that the door for diplomacy is quickly slamming, if it isn’t already," said Vipin Narang, a nuclear affairs expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.

 

"This could be a very credible signal of what might await the world after the New Year."

 

Tensions have risen ahead of a year-end deadline set by North Korea, which has called on the United States to change its policy of insisting on Pyongyang's unilateral denuclearization and demanded relief from punishing sanctions.

 

On Saturday North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations said denuclearization was now off the negotiating table with the United States and lengthy talks with Washington are not needed.

 

"The results of the recent important test will have an important effect on changing the strategic position of the DPRK once again in the near future," KCNA reported, using the initials of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

 

RETURN TO CHARGED RHETORIC

Recent days have also seen a return to the highly charged rhetoric that raised fears of war two years ago.

 

In 2017, Trump and Kim famously engaged in a war of words, with Trump calling Kim "Rocket Man" and North Korea calling Trump, now 73, a "dotard."

 

On Tuesday, Trump once again called Kim "Rocket Man" and said the United States reserved the right to use military force against North Korea. Pyongyang, in response, said any repeat of such language would represent "the relapse of the dotage of a dotard."

 

The test is the latest in a string of statements and actions from North Korea designed to underscore the seriousness of its year-end deadline.

 

North Korea has announced it would convene a rare gathering of top ruling-party officials later this month, and on Wednesday state media showed photos of Kim taking a second symbolic horse ride on the country's sacred Mt. Paektu.

 

Such meetings and propaganda blitzes often come ahead of major announcements from North Korean authorities.

 

While North Korea has not specified what its "new path" could be, observers have suggested the launch of a space satellite is a possibility, allowing Pyongyang to demonstrate and test its rocket capabilities without resorting to overt military provocation such as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch.

 

Kim Dong-yub, a former South Korean Navy officer who teaches at Kyungnam University in Seoul, said North Korea may have tested a solid fuel rocket engine, which could allow North Korea to field ICBMs that are easier to hide and faster to deploy.

 

"North Korea has already entered the ‘new path’ that they talked about," he said.

 

'REVERSIBLE STEPS'

Trump told reporters in June 2018 after his first summit with Kim that North Korea had pledged to dismantle one of its missile installations, which U.S. officials later identified as Sohae.

 

Shortly after that summit, analysts said satellite imagery showed some key facilities at Sohae being dismantled.

 

However, in the wake of the second summit between Trump and Kim earlier this year, which ended with no agreement, new imagery indicated the North Koreans were rebuilding the site.

 

"Remember this is at the site that was supposedly dismantled as a 'denuclearization step,'" Narang said. "So this is a first step at 'renuclearizing.' Reversible steps are being...reversed."

 

(Reporting by Josh Smith in SEOUL and Soyoung Kim in WASHINGTON; Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin, Sangmi Cha and Jack Kim; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-09

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[Somtamnication]

LOL. The bromance is over. It never was, actually.

[soalbundy]

Kim seems to be a shrewd little man who is running rings around the 'best president ever'. America will never invade or attack any nation with nukes, they learnt enough from attacking people with flip flops having firearms let alone flip flops with nukes.

[sammieuk1]

Mr Kim was just testing the promised Christmas gift for Donald making sure the battery's were in the right way round my guess is its a male grooming kit????

[ezzra]

The only trusted fact the either of these two leaders can be sure of is that neither of them can be trusted, not now, not ever, and that this is just part a big show of postering to the world to see...

[Tug]

N Korea should have been under a 100% maritime blockade from the beginning and the country’s population enlightened as to how their neighbors to the south live let them sort the little fat man out this is way above trumps skill level

[Langsuan Man]

Another promise made, and kept, NOT

[Boon Mee]

China is directly involved with Kim attempting to bust Trump's balls over a slew of issues like HK and trade. 

Don't forget that NK is effectively a client state of the ChiComs 

[zaZa9]

Kim will be irrelevant the day he gives up his dangerous toys , and every statesman knows that.

 

Its all a charade ...

[Tug]

36 minutes ago, zaZa9 said:

Kim will be irrelevant the day he gives up his dangerous toys , and every statesman knows that.

 

Its all a charade ...

Agreed but then why I dare say did Donald give him the meet give up the war games and squander our hand effectively throwing away all the previous work?

[Catoholic]

So much hate... You all will have another 4 years to be miserable... lol... how dare you! LOL

[Saint Nick]

Aaaaawwwww...see your Nobel Peace Prize slipping away, poor Donald?

[IAMHERE]

Part of any trade deal with China needs to include regime change in DPRK.  If Russia could accomplish regime change then Russia can have a large part of northern DPRK, warm weather port anyone?

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Agreed but then why I dare say did Donald give him the meet give up the war games and squander our hand effectively throwing away all the previous work?

because he is a stable genius who loves dictators.

[Eric Loh]

Lindsay is frantically looking for a hole to bury himself after proclaiming that Trump deserved a Noble peace award for successfully negotiated NK denuclearization. ????????
 

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/385150-graham-says-trump-may-deserve-nobel-peace-prize-for

[Jingthing]

6 hours ago, sirineou said:

The only thing that keeps him alive is his nuclear capability, Anyone who ever thought that he would give it up willingly must be some kind of trump supporter. 

Yeah 45 got played BIGLY and it seems the only one that didn't realize that long ago was the stable genius himself. It was already totally obvious after the B.S. "agreement" in Singapore. 

 

The so called "greatest negotiator" turns out to be the total dud you would expect from someone with such a shady background. 

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, Catoholic said:

So much hate... You all will have another 4 years to be miserable... lol... how dare you! LOL

It's not so much hatred and being in touch with FACTS AND REALITY, something almost nonexistent in the current white house. It's kind of like the Maoist cultural revolution there now -- experience is disdained, knowledge is disdained, expertise is disdained, but loyalty to the demagogue dear leader is EVERYTHING. No wonder 45 loves Kim. 

[ThaiBunny]

I suspect Trump still doesn't understand how comprehensively he was "played" by Kim

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

I suspect Trump still doesn't understand how comprehensively he was "played" by Kim

I suspect he's not physically capable of being self critical. 

[ThaiBunny]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I suspect he's not physically capable of being self critical. 

"intellectually capable" surely? Introspection is not a physical attribute

[Berkshire]

9 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

I suspect Trump still doesn't understand how comprehensively he was "played" by Kim

Trump is an incredibly inept negotiator.  Aside from not understanding the motive of Kim, Trump truly believes that flattery would win him points with N. Korea.  Since he's so easily manipulated by kind words, he figures others would be as well.  Obviously, that doesn't work....with anyone.  Sad to say, but our President is quite simply an idiot.  

[Jingthing]

16 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

"intellectually capable" surely? Introspection is not a physical attribute

It is if it's hard wired in his brain. The brain is part of the body.

[Jingthing]

14 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Trump is an incredibly inept negotiator.  Aside from not understanding the motive of Kim, Trump truly believes that flattery would win him points with N. Korea.  Since he's so easily manipulated by kind words, he figures others would be as well.  Obviously, that doesn't work....with anyone.  Sad to say, but our President is quite simply an idiot.  

On most things but on propaganda skills to hold on to a loyal base, he's pretty darn smart at that. Of course he wishes he could FORCE that loyalty on the entire population like his heroes (authoritarian dictators). 

[neeray]

The Art of the Deal man loses another one. But all of us who live in the real, NON-Trump world saw this coming long ago.

Nobel prize ... Priceless comedy.

[bristolboy]

4 hours ago, Catoholic said:

So much hate... You all will have another 4 years to be miserable... lol... how dare you! LOL

Thanks for the all-purpose screech. Got anything specific to say about this subject?

[Eric Loh]

9 minutes ago, neeray said:

The Art of the Deal man loses another one. But all of us who live in the real, NON-Trump world saw this coming long ago.

Nobel prize ... Priceless comedy.

The deal man has yet to close any foreign policy deals. In fact the deal maker has yet to close the trade deals involving China, Mexico-Canada, EU and Japan. 
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/22/trump-heads-to-un-with-long-list-of-deals-hes-yet-to-close.html

[spidermike007]

5 hours ago, Catoholic said:

So much hate... You all will have another 4 years to be miserable... lol... how dare you! LOL

How dare we what? As if the office of the president deserves an autonomous brand of respect? Like in an autocratic state?

 

I was always taught that respect had to be earned. And how does a five time draft dodger, a five time bankruptcy king, a philanderer, a man who constantly degrades women, a traitor to his nation, a man who prefers dictators over allies, and a serial liar earn our respect? He doesn't. 

[metisdead]

Some offensive posts have been removed. 

[bristolboy]

What this whole protracted situation shows is how foolish it was for Trump to pin his prestige on personally negotiations with Kim. To acknowledge that no progress has been made would be to admit his efforts have failed. His characterization of the Singapore document signed by Trump and Kim as "a strong Denuclearization Agreement" is at best an expression of utter ignorance and at worst an utter lie. 

 This is why heads of state leave such negotiations to diplomats. Or if they engage in such negotiations, do so privately.

[spidermike007]

16 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

What this whole protracted situation shows is how foolish it was for Trump to pin his prestige on personally negotiations with Kim. To acknowledge that no progress has been made would be to admit his efforts have failed. His characterization of the Singapore document signed by Trump and Kim as "a strong Denuclearization Agreement" is at best an expression of utter ignorance and at worst an utter lie. 

 This is why heads of state leave such negotiations to diplomats. Or if they engage in such negotiations, do so privately.

The limits of Trump's "negotiation prowess" and "deal making ability" is the ability to make a deal to buy 15 unit apartment buildings, from guys who really want to sell, to assemble a block for a tower. That is about it. His abilities are a massive ruse, perpetrated on his supporters, and the American people.