Careless whispers?
President Moon Jae-in's special envoy and National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, left, whispers to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
By Oh Young-jin
If one photo is worth a thousand words, this should easily qualify.
Presidential envoy Chung Eui-yong is captured whispering to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who is leaning toward him. Kim has a big smile on his face.
This marks the closest the two Koreans could get so far.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un politely receives President Moon Jae-in's letter from Moon's special envoy Chung Eui-yong.
Reflecting the amicable mood of the meeting, Chung, the top security advisor to President Moon Jae-in, talked during a post-visit summit briefing of Kim's frustrations about the lack of trust by the United States in the North's commitment to denuclearization.
“North Korean leader Kim is frustrated for the lack of corresponding moves by the United States to the North's preemptive steps,” Chung said. The North's moves include the destruction of a nuclear test site.
The South Korean delegation holds a meeting with the North's Kim.
Then, Chung quoted Kim as dismissing U.S. concerns that the declaration of war on the Korean Peninsula will lead to the weakening of the Seoul-Washington alliance.
He also reported that in Kim's remarks he has never spoken ill of Trump.
The South Korean delegation poses with the North's Kim after their meeting.
Now, Chung has done what the U.S. failed to do. He met Kim, while Trump had to put on hold his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang because of the reported threat by Pyongyang to pull out of the denuclearization process.
Also, Trump will likely rely on Seoul to get news from Kim.
Considering a series of policy mismatches between Seoul and Washington, how would Trump see this strengthening of ties between the two Koreas? Consider his tendency to see himself at the center of the universe and suspicion could be among his first feelings.