[Anchor]
As President Trump seeks to arrange a North Korea-U.S. summit before the U.S. midterm elections in November, conservatives in the U.S. have expressed concerns. They warned that it could grant North Korea recognition as a nuclear weapons state and weaken the South Korea-U.S. alliance, prompting calls for President Trump to meet with President Lee Jae-myung first.
Reporter Yu Deok-gi has more.
[Reporter]
Fox News, a prominent pro-Trump media outlet, analyzed that North Korea has far fewer reasons to reach a deal with the U.S. compared to eight years ago during the first Trump administration.
It evaluated that the possibility of the U.S. suppressing North Korea militarily is slim, as Pyongyang has already secured numerous nuclear weapons and delivery systems, and is even receiving support from Russia.
[Victor Cha / Korea Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies (via U.S. Fox News): There is practically no military solution for a country like North Korea that has 50, 60, or even 70 nuclear weapons and delivery systems.]
Even if a summit takes place, a swift 'all-at-once' deal to eliminate North Korea's nuclear weapons is impossible, and Pyongyang is expected to take a much more hardline stance in negotiations than it did in 2018.
The step-by-step sanctions relief, reduction of U.S. forces, and signing of a peace treaty projected as Trump's negotiation cards all operate on the premise that North Korea's nuclear arsenal remains intact, ultimately resulting in fulfilling Pyongyang's long-cherished dream of being "recognized as a nuclear-armed state," the outlet predicted.
It also pointed out that the South Korea-U.S. alliance would be put to the test during this process, noting that Trump's stance on the potential withdrawal of U.S. forces from Korea remains unclear.
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Amid growing concerns within the U.S., Fred Fleitz, a former White House aide during the first Trump administration, urged President Trump to meet with President Lee Jae-myung before meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
He suggested that, ideally, Trump should visit Seoul to demonstrate his commitment to the South Korea-U.S. relationship and his resolve regarding the resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue.
He also emphasized the need for cooperation with South Korea, stating that Secretary of State Rubio should be dispatched to Seoul to iron out the details of a North Korea-U.S. summit.
(Video editing: Chae Chul-ho, Design: Park Chun-woong)
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