Kim Jong-un steals the thunder

President Moon Jae-in holds hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the April 27 inter-Korean summit. Korea Times

By Oh Young-jin

At least by appearances, Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader in his mid-30s, is having his way in dealing with the United States, China and South Korea over denuclearization.

Besides his rather "young" age, Kim's acumen may be appreciated even more for his country having been an impoverished international pariah that U.S. President Donald Trump almost triggered a war against, according to the recent book, "Fear in the White House," by Bob Woodward.

Now, Trump has expressed his gratitude for Kim not including the North's fleet of long-range missiles in the Sept.9 parade to mark its 70th foundation in Pyongyang. He suggested in his chummy tweet "We will both prove everybody wrong" in achieving Pyongyang's denuclearization.

Then, Kim also gave a big present to Trump ― a second Trump-Kim summit possibly ahead of the U.S. mid-term elections in November. Trump's Republican Party faces trouble, much of it attributable to the president.

China has become the U.S. President's whipping boy, with Trump blaming it for everything from trade deficits to lack of progress in the North's denuclearization.

China's supposed paramount leader Xi Jinping has given up all pretence at trying to court Kim, who he despises, and he is still trying to find an excuse to make a reciprocal visit to Pyongyang after Kim's three visits this year.

President Moon Jae-in has been hailed as an honest broker for having two summits with Kim before helping arrange the first U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June. He has recently helped break a stalemate to get the denuclearization process going and is set to meet Kim for a third summit in Pyongyang next week.

Now Moon has declared his metaphorical wish to be at the driver's seat in the inter-Korean peace process, a modified form of the goal of Moon's friend and mentor, the late President Roh Moo-hyun, whose ambition was to make the South play the "balancing role" between the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.

For now, it looks like Kim is at the wheel and has enjoyed using the thunder he has stolen. Perhaps it is time for Moon to think how to achieve his goal or perhaps to get used to sitting in the passenger seat in the car that Kim is driving.

Would the nation accept it?

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