Will dictator Kim Jong-un listen to Donald Trump?

  By Vijay Darda | 12-03-2018

There is hidden political shrewdness in the proposed talks between the two, spewing venom against each other

The world is constantly worried over the extremely bitter relationship between the US and North Korea. Both are nuclear-armed countries. The US President Donald Trump has been continuously threatening that he will destroy North Korea if it does not give up its nuclear programme. North Korea is a very small country but its dictator Kim Jong-un ridiculed Trump’s threat by saying that he is an old and eccentric person. After that, the slanging match started between them. Kim successfully test-fired one missile after another and even said that he has the power to destroy America. “If they try to destroy us, we will wipe out America,” he said. Thus, a warlike situation has been created.

Meanwhile, the news has surprised the world. South Korea’s National Security Adviser Chung Yong said that Trump and Kim will meet in May. The meeting place has not been clarified yet. However, one thing is certain that Kim will not go out of his country to meet anybody. So, will Trump go to North Korea? Or will there be a meeting via video conferencing? Trump has also tweeted about the meeting, but the US has made it clear that Kim will have to take some positive steps first, and only then the meeting will be held. Thus, the suspense about the meeting prevails. Let’s assume that the meeting will take place. So the question arises as to why did Trump and Kim who had vowed to destroy each other have felt the need to meet each other? I think Trump and Kim are both upset at this time.

Trump is facing challenges at the domestic level. His relationship with the media leaves a lot to be desired and the stories related to his personal life are becoming public. Trump has to do something like this at the political level so that the American media gets some new spice. Bill Clinton had used such tricks during his tenure. When his stories with Monica Lewinsky were hogging the limelight in the American media, he attacked the Alshifa pharmaceutical factory in Sudan in August 1998. That attack was controversial. The United States had to pay large amount of compensation to the factory owner, but Clinton had got an immediate advantage. By consenting to meet Kim, Trump has given a new issue to the media, regardless of whether the meeting proves to be beneficial or not!

Even for Kim Jong-un, the situation is becoming difficult to handle. There are so many restrictions on North Korea and the common man there is facing a lot of problem. China and Russia have been secretly helping North Korea, but the United Nations has been keeping a hawk’s eye on the situation. Many of the ships carrying goods to North Korea have been caught in recent months. North Korea has been getting technical support from these two countries, but after the screws were tightened further, the difficulties have increased. That’s why Kim Jong-un may be making such a move believing that he would get some relief on the pretext of this meeting. Kim’s move started only when North Korea announced the participation in the Winter Olympics held in South Korea. He had also sent many cheerleaders to improve the image of North Korea. South Korea has come forward to help in reconciliation because in case of war between the US and North Korea, the biggest sufferer will be South Korea. Kim’s missiles may not be able to destroy America, but will certainly destroy the rapidly developing South Korea! That is why South Korea does not want war under any circumstances.

There is no doubt that China has been continuously helping North Korea increase its potential so that America can be controlled in this area. In South Korea, the US has set up its base. It is important for China to take Kim’s support. Overtly, China has condemned North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests but it remains North Korea’s staunch supporter. China too does not want war. If there is a war, China will have to pay a heavy price. Lakhs of refugees will reach there and the war will affect its business as well. In such a situation, if it helps Kim, it may have a direct conflict with the US. To avoid this, China wants Kim to meet Trump. However, China will never want resolution of the issue. It will continue to back Kim. So there is no need to expect much from Trump and Kim’s meeting. Once a country has acquired nuclear capability, it never destroys it. The past experience unambiguously proves it!

Before I conclude…

Architect Balkrishna Doshi is a person who has enhanced the glory of India. He has been named the 2018 laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, architecture’s most prestigious award. This award of $ 1 lakh is equivalent to the Nobel Prize in the field of architecture. Born in Pune, 90-year-old Doshi is the first Indian to receive this honour. He will be felicitated and awarded in Toronto. This certainly is a matter of pride for every Indian. Congratulations to him!

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