Observers skeptical as US Pompeo hails North Korea progress – Reuters

As reported by Reuters, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo continues to herald “great success” in regards to North Korea, but experts and bystanders remain skeptical.

Key highlights

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo announced on Monday that the Trump administration has made’significant progress’ in talks with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, noting that the two sides were “pretty close” to agreeing to details to set a second summit between the two leaders.

Experts are continuing to question what, exactly, Mike Pompeo has managed to accomplish across four separate trips to North Korea this year. Pompeo was quick to point out that Kim has agreed to eventually allow international inspectors to visit two sites related to North Korea’s nuclear production, though the state secretary declined to comment on whether or not Kim would also allow inspection of the Yongbyon site, where North Korea makes nuclear fuel.

Experts on North Korea and trade have noted that Kim is attempting to “sell the same horse twice”, dressing up an old promise to allow access to nuclear production sites, almost six months after Kim already promised to deactivate the sites.

“Skeptics of Trump administration policy said it was difficult to see what Pompeo had achieved.  “Did Mike Pompeo go all the way to Pyongyang for party planning purposes?” Daniel Russel, the chief U.S. diplomat for East Asia until last year, said on NBC. “Is this just to set up a yet another summit without a clear understanding of what that’s going to generate?” ” – Reuters