As North Korea is apparently taking steps to opening its door, insiders and international observants have expressed confidence that Vietnam would be a top model, especially in how it has turned the U.S. from a war enemy into a major business and security partner. Duong Chinh Thuc, former Vietnam ambassador to North Korea and South Korea, who spent more than 20 years studying and working in the North from the 1960s, told VnExpress about the historical and political resemblance that would make Vietnam an "appropriate" example for Kim Jong Un. Can you comment on reports that Kim Jong Un considered Vietnam a model for North Korea’s economic development? That is certainly appropriate because North Korea and Vietnam share many similarities. Both countries were affected by war, both were isolated by the U.S. and other nations, and both have had agriculture spearhead national growth. Vietnam and North Korea are also led by Communist parties, and share a lot of cultural commonalities, … [Read more...] about Vietnam an appropriate growth model for North Korea: former envoy
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World can ‘sleep well’ after North Korea summit, Trump says
US President Donald Trump (R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore. (Photo: AFP/Saul Loeb) Despite the lack of detail, or binding terms in the joint statement agreed with Kim - which has alarmed a majority of observers of the nuclear standoff - Trump struck a resolutely bullish tone. "There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea," he tweeted in one of a series of early morning pronouncements. Trump added that everybody "can now feel much safer than the day I took office" and people could "sleep well tonight!" Critics said the unprecedented encounter between Kim and Trump was more style than substance, producing a document short on specifics about the key issue of Pyongyang's atomic weapons. But the US president trumpeted the outcome as a "deal" with North Korea and vowed there would be "no more rocket launches, nuclear testing or research!" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking to reporters in Seoul, said the United States hoped for "major disarmament" of … [Read more...] about World can ‘sleep well’ after North Korea summit, Trump says
Trump sees ‘brilliant potential’ for North Korea as summit prep continues
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in (R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (2nd R) walking together after their summit at the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas, on May 26, 2018. (Photo: AFP/handout) "I truly believe North Korea has brilliant potential and will be a great economic and financial Nation one day," Trump said on Twitter. "Kim Jong Un agrees with me on this. It will happen!," the president said, confirming that a US team "has arrived in North Korea to make arrangements for the summit" between himself and North Korean leader Kim. His upbeat language contrasted sharply to that of only three days earlier, when Trump cancelled the planned summit, citing "open hostility" from the North. An extraordinary flurry of diplomacy since then - much of it led by South Korea - appears to have put the meeting back on track. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met on Saturday at the Panmunjom border truce village, in a surprise bid … [Read more...] about Trump sees ‘brilliant potential’ for North Korea as summit prep continues
G7 ministers meet on Russia, Iran and North Korea threats
Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, seen here with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, will host all of her G7 colleagues plus the European Union's representative at a working lunch to discuss the crisis in Russia and Ukraine. (AFP/Lars Hagberg) The envoys were also keen to glean clues from their US colleague about whether President Donald Trump will tear up the Iran nuclear deal and how he will handle a planned summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. The ministers from the world's most powerful democracies are meeting to plan for June's G7 summit of rich-world leaders in Charlevoix, Quebec - but Russia and North Korea will never be far from their minds. Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland hosted the meeting and invited her G7 colleagues plus the European Union's representative to a working lunch to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, where Russian-backed rebels have seized the eastern Donbas region. Afterwards, she said the G7 members had "reaffirmed our … [Read more...] about G7 ministers meet on Russia, Iran and North Korea threats
Trump reveals direct North Korea contacts, okays peace talks
Viet Nam News PALM BEACH, United States — President Donald Trump confirmed direct contacts between the United States and North Korea and gave his blessing to talks aimed at formally ending the Korean war in a series of diplomatic revelations on Tuesday. Setting the stage for a major breakthrough at a series of upcoming summits, Trump said "a great chance to solve a world problem" was within reach on the Korean peninsula. Side-by-side with Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe at Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida resort, the US president said that a rare inter-Korean summit in 10 days time could, with his "blessing," discuss an elusive peace treaty. "People don’t realise the Korean War has not ended. It’s going on right now. And they are discussing an end to the war," he said. "Subject to a deal they have my blessing and they do have my blessing to discuss that." With those comments Trump appeared to confirm that North and South Korean talks on April 27 will touch on … [Read more...] about Trump reveals direct North Korea contacts, okays peace talks