Washington: Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton on Tuesday suggested the possibility of President Donald Trump meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, while cautioning about the significant risks involved in such a summit.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Bolton, who was a key security aide to Trump from 2018-2019, expressed these views during an online forum organized by the Institute for Corean-American Studies (ICAS). Trump has previously indicated a desire to meet Kim later this year, following their three prior encounters in Singapore, Hanoi, and the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom during his first term.
Bolton noted that Trump might consider Pyongyang as a venue since it would not be unprecedented following their first meeting in Singapore. He emphasized that Trump's potential motivation for seeking another meeting with Kim could be to acquire "pictures" and a "distraction" from domestic and international challenges, including the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
Bolton also warned of the "very high" risk associated with another Trump-Kim summit, recalling the lack of planning when Trump unexpectedly announced the suspension of joint military drills with South Korea after the Singapore summit in 2018. He cited a recent example where Trump ordered the reduction of a major South Korea-U.S. exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield, citing his favorable relationship with Kim.
The reduction of military exercises has raised concerns about weakening the allies' deterrence against North Korean nuclear and missile threats. Bolton recounted an incident from the Singapore meeting where Trump invited Kim to fly on Air Force One to Pyongyang, a suggestion that was ultimately discouraged by the Secret Service and rejected by Kim.
Bolton expressed skepticism about what Trump could achieve from a meeting with Kim, criticizing Trump's approach to international relations as overly reliant on personal relationships with foreign leaders. He cautioned against the naivety of ignoring traditional diplomatic channels like the State Department and the Defense Department in favor of direct leader-to-leader engagements.
Additionally, Bolton advised South Korea to be cautious about its involvement in Trump's diplomacy with Pyongyang, warning that pushing for a meeting could lead to unpredictable and potentially undesirable outcomes. He stressed the importance of careful consideration given the myriad uncertainties surrounding such high-stakes diplomacy.