South Korean President Moon Jae-in has invested his personal prestige in engagement with North Korea.
By Simon Denyer and Simon Denyer Tokyo bureau chief covering Japan, North Korea and South Korea. Email Bio Follow Min Joo Kim Min Joo Kim Assistant Reporter in Seoul covering South and North Korea. Email Bio Follow March 1 at 7:25 AM HANOI — South Korean President Moon Jae-in put a brave face on the situation Friday morning.
Moon has invested his presidency and personal prestige on engagement with Pyongyang, and hoped peace with North Korea would be his legacy. The failure of the summit leaves that dream in trouble, if not in tatters, so his forced optimism was perhaps understandable, although not universally appreciated.
Moon’s popularity in South Korea was boosted by three successive summits with Kim, but the importance of engagement with North Korea goes well beyond opinion polls: It is at the heart of his presidency. Although sanctions still block the way, Moon said in the speech Friday that he will “consult” with Washington to resume operations at both places.
“Unfortunate times,” said Shin Han-yong, chairman of an association for companies that operated there. The Nikkei newspaper, which had recently warned Trump “not to compromise easily,” said the president had reached the right decision by not falling for North Korean “deception such as denuclearization by name only.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
South Korea's Moon says Seoul will help U.S., North Korea talks 'by any means'South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Friday South Korea will cooperate wit...
Read more »
South Korea may be the biggest loser in failed talks at the Trump-Kim summitSouth Korean President Moon Jae-in's approval ratings have been falling and the prospects of re-starting some inter-Korean projects have dimmed, said Alison Evans of IHS Markit.
Read more »
Ahead of Trump-Kim summit, South Korean firms in Vietnam dream of return to North KoreaAhead of Trump-Kim summit, South Korean firms in Vietnam dream of return to North Korea by juminism Live TrumpKimSummit updates:
Read more »
Ahead of Trump-Kim summit, South Korean firms in Vietnam dream of return to North KoreaAhead of Trump-Kim summit, South Korean firms in Vietnam dream of return to North Korea via juminism Live TrumpKimSummit updates:
Read more »
Trump to leave North Korea summit without signing dealTrump will not sign a joint agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after denuclearization talks were unexpectedly cut short in the final hours of a two-day summit in Vietnam
Read more »