Post US-NK summit diplomacy accelerates

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump

By Kim Bo-eun

Key states surrounding the Korean Peninsula are eager to form one-on-one channels with North Korea as a means to stay relevant in the denuclearization process, which seems to be going smoothly after agreements were made at the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week.

As the North seeks economic development and new diplomatic relations along with its denuclearization, the U.S., Japan, Russia and China are also making efforts to be part of the new geopolitical arena.

The U.S. is apparently the most active player, with its leader having a historic summit with the North Korean head. Trump said he would hold a telephone call with Kim soon, saying the two exchanged direct numbers at their summit in Singapore on June 12.

Through the phone conversation, they are likely to discuss follow-up measures to keep the momentum alive in denuclearization negotiations.

“I gave him a very direct number. He can call me if he has any difficulties, and I can call him. We have communication _ it's a very good thing,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, local time.

The U.S. and North Korea may resume high-level or working-level talks this week at the earliest, as agreed during the summit. The two sides have yet to reach an agreement on the details of denuclearization, and what North Korea will do as its first step toward denuclearization.

Follow-up talks, likely to be led by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, will address the halting of joint military drills between South Korea and the U.S., and also North Korea's shutdown of its missile engine test site, which Trump mentioned during a press conference following the summit.

Japan, which has until recently maintained its position to apply maximum pressure on North Korea unless it achieves complete denuclearization, is reaching out to the North Korean leader, in efforts not to be sidelined in the process.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seeking a summit with Kim, saying he wants to build trust with North Korea, especially in resolving the issue of North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens.

But it is unknown whether North Korea will accept the belated peace overtures from Japan, which has long taken a hawkish stance. Some say it will be possible in the long term, because it needs investment from Japan to achieve economic development.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week met with North Korea's Kim Yong-nam, chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, who visited Russia to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup. In the meeting with Kim Yong-nam, Putin invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the country.

Putin said the meeting could take place during the Eastern Economic Forum that will be held at Vladivostok in September, or be arranged separately.

The invitation was first made when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Pyongyang last month.

The Russian president welcomed and praised the outcome of the Trump-Kim summit, and said Russia is ready to make efforts to establish ties with North Korea, including economic cooperation.

China has been North Korea's strongest ally, and Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping had two meetings before the Trump-Kim summit.

China also exhibited its relations with North Korea by providing Kim with private planes used by Xi and other top officials when Kim flew to Singapore for the summit.

Some American media reported it was Xi who advised Kim to suggest to Trump the halt of the U.S.-South Korea joint military drills during the summit. Whether it was Xi's idea or not, Trump said he would suspend the drills as long as dialogue with the North continues.