North Korea threatens to withdraw from summit with Trump

[ABX]

North Korea is threatening to cancel its upcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump over South Korea-U.S.military drills, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, citing North Korean state media....

...North Korea has also canceled high-level talks with South Korea that were scheduled for Wednesday local time over those same drills, according to Yonhap. ...

https://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korea-threatens-withdraw-summit-trump-report/story?id=55184033

[mystery-ak]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/05/15/north-korea-threatens-to-cancel-us-meeting-over-american-military-drills-with-south-korea-report-says.html

North Korea threatens to cancel US meeting over American military drills with South Korea, report says

North Korea announced it has canceled a high-level summit with South Korea and has threatened to cancel its meeting with the United States over American military drills with South Korea, Yonhap News said Tuesday, citing KCNA.

KCNA, North Korea's state media outlet, claimed that the military drills were a rehearsal for a potential invasion of the country.

The meeting between officials from the neighboring countries was expected to be a follow-up to the historic summit held last month between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

more at link

[ABX]

North Korea suspends talks with South scheduled for Wednesday

North Korea said on Wednesday it had no choice but to suspend high-level talks with South Korea scheduled for later in the day due to U.S.-South Korean military exercises that went against the trend of warming North-South ties.
The meeting was due to focus on plans to implement a declaration that emerged from an April 27 inter-Korea summit, including promises to formally end the Korean War and pursue "complete denuclearization," the South's unification ministry, which handles ties with the North, said on Tuesday.....

https://www.yahoo.com/news/north-korea-suspends-talks-south-scheduled-wednesday-190537006.html

[edpc]

We're not taking our forces out of Korea, these cooperative drills will always be necessary to ensure readiness, so the Norks will never completely denuclearize.

[Lando Lincoln]

This had to have some drama.  At least some.

[ABX]

We're not taking our forces out of Korea, these cooperative drills will always be necessary to ensure readiness, so the Norks will never completely denuclearize.

Just like 2000, they are probably looking for any excuse for an 'out'.   Lil'Kim throws this bone out every 6-7 years or so, and only one other time did we take the bait before they reeled it back in. So much 'hope for change' people failed to look at the past.

[mountaineer]

Someone suggested the US threaten to deny Li'l Kim any KFC, and he'll change his tune in a hurry.

[Sanguine]

This is how NK "negotiates".  May be nothing.

[Victoria33]

I knew Kim would not change his spots; knew he had to have something in mind that would benefit him and not give up his missiles for sure even if he gave up the nuke stuff.  So, now he won't meet unless the drills stop.  What's next?

TV says white house is preparing a response.

[skeeter]

This had to have some drama.  At least some.

This is where usually the US leadership, afraid of the political fallout from perceived failure, would begin backpeddling.

We'll see how this administration responds.

[edpc]

White House caught off guard by North Korea warning, aides say

The White House was caught off guard by the warning from North Korea over military drills, according to aides.

One official affirmed the State Department's assertion they've received no information from Pyongyang about the status of the talks.

President Trump is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-today-05-15-18/index.html

[Sanguine]

White House caught off guard by North Korea warning, aides say

The White House was caught off guard by the warning from North Korea over military drills, according to aides.

One official affirmed the State Department's assertion they've received no information from Pyongyang about the status of the talks.

President Trump is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-today-05-15-18/index.html

If I were a betting woman, I would have bet that CNN would say almost exactly that, regardless of what information they actually had.   

[edpc]

If I were a betting woman, I would have bet that CNN would say almost exactly that, regardless of what information they actually had.   

Well, the State Department spokesperson and former Fox News reporter, Heather Nauert, confirmed it by saying they had no previous notice.

"What we have to go on is what Kim Jong Un has said before, that he understands and appreciates the importance to the United States of having these joint exercises, the Republic of Korea has as well," Nauert said. "We've received no formal or even informal notification of anything."

https://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korea-threatens-withdraw-summit-trump-report/story?id=55184033

[edpc]

Kim Kye Gwan criticized recent comments by Trump's top security adviser John Bolton and other U.S. officials who have been talking about how the North should follow the "Libyan model" of nuclear disarmament and provide a "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement."

He also criticized other U.S. comments that the North should completely abandon not only its nukes and missiles but also its biological and chemical weapons.

Kim says: "We will appropriately respond to the Trump administration if it approaches the North Korea-U.S. summit meeting with a truthful intent to improve relations."

He adds: "But we are no longer interested in a negotiation that will be all about driving us into a corner and making a one-sided demand for us to give up our nukes and this would force us to reconsider whether we would accept the North Korea-U.S. summit meeting."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/latest-us-says-going-ahead-nkorea-summit-plan-200634561.html

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

Well, the State Department spokesperson and former Fox News reporter, Heather Nauert, confirmed it by saying they had no previous notice.

"What we have to go on is what Kim Jong Un has said before, that he understands and appreciates the importance to the United States of having these joint exercises, the Republic of Korea has as well," Nauert said. "We've received no formal or even informal notification of anything."

https://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korea-threatens-withdraw-summit-trump-report/story?id=55184033

Of course they 'Had no previous notice'. We've had 6 Defense Intel Agencies laying hardware for months now designed to destroy the Nork's internet. No Command, Communication, or Crew Launched weapons.

We knew full well this could happen and extended Xi's puppet the benefit of the doubt while holding the HUGE stick behind our back.

His masters are hoping to cut better Economic terms for themselves in the Trade War they've been screwing us in for 40 years.

Part of the solution to NK is Tax Cuts round 2 further lowers the Federal Consumption/Corp Income Tax. Hold out the Carrot to all those corps doing business in China. Get them to pull out.

Without our markets China goes broke and Kim gets to eat tree roots in the dark after we fry his Command, Communications and Crew served weapons cyber capabilities.

[240B]

Based on Kerry's behavior lately with Iran, I cannot help but wonder if Kerry or someone else left over from the Obama disaster, or maybe someone in the Deep State, has been working to make sure the NorKs cancel the meeting.

We know there are people currently in government, and certainly in Obama's old government, who would do anything in the world to torpedo anything Trump tries to do, no matter what it is or how beneficial it may be to America and the World.

[Oceander]

Same old, same old. 

[mountaineer]

Mark Knoller Verified account @markknoller
5m5 minutes ago

"This is something that we fully expected," said @PressSec this morning of North Korea threat to scrub summit with Pres Trump. "If they want to meet we’ll be ready and if they don’t, that’s okay too," said Sanders, in a WH driveway gaggle with reporters.

[edpc]

Based on Kerry's behavior lately with Iran, I cannot help but wonder if Kerry or someone else left over from the Obama disaster, or maybe someone in the Deep State, has been working to make sure the NorKs cancel the meeting.

We know there are people currently in government, and certainly in Obama's old government, who would do anything in the world to torpedo anything Trump tries to do, no matter what it is or how beneficial it may be to America and the World.

It can’t be 100% ruled out, but given the history of fickleness from the Norks when it comes to negotiations, odds are it’s nothing other than them being consistent.

[catfish1957]

Not surprising.  Also have read accounts (MSM though) that Kim has been stated that de-nuclearization is not on the table.

How foolish is the orange leader and his orange geese going to look if this is all true?

From potential Nobel Peace Prize to an episode of "Punk'd" in one easy lesson

[Jazzhead]

They may be looking for a pre-meeting "gesture" to postpone the military exercises,  similar to Kim's release of the three U.S. captives. 

If the NORKs are going to give up their nukes,  the U.S. and South Korea will have to make significant concessions, including diplomatic recognition,  economic aid and withdrawal of most American troops from the Korean peninsula.   That may be too much to give up;  reasonable minds may differ.   Remember that, from the NORKs' perspective, we are an existential threat to the regime.   

What should the U.S. reasonably be expected to give in return for a "Libyan style" verifiable relinquishment of nuclear weapons?       

[TomSea]

Also, it looks like NK has a problem with John Bolton and things he has said in the past. Although, one has to look and see if they are making excuses...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/15/north-korea-threatens-scrap-trump-summit-military-drills/

http://www.ibtimes.com/north-korea-blames-john-boltons-libya-model-threatening-summit-trump-2681285

North Korea Blames John Bolton’s ‘Libya Model’ For Threatening Summit With Trump
By Himanshu Goenka @HimGoJourno

Just days after President Donald Trump announced the date and venue (June 12, Singapore) for the historic meeting between the leaders of the United States and North Korea, the East Asian country said Wednesday it would reconsider the summit. Specifically, DPRK blamed Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton and his “Libya model” for the country’s denuclearization as factors for reconsidering the summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un.

Bolton, a known North Korea and Iran hawk, was speaking April 29 during an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” when he said the U.S. was “looking at the Libya model of 2003, 2004” for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi allowed inspectors into his country’s weapons facilities, but in 2011, U.S. and NATO forces backed an uprising against Gaddafi, which ended with him being dragged out into the streets before being killed.

That whole Libya venture does seem to be a fiasco...mostly. It just doesn't seemed to have gone down well at all.

Even Oliver North seemed to smugly speak about what happened in Libya. And I usually agree with North but....not sure about that.

[txradioguy]

I knew Kim would not change his spots; knew he had to have something in mind that would benefit him and not give up his missiles for sure even if he gave up the nuke stuff.  So, now he won't meet unless the drills stop.  What's next?

TV says white house is preparing a response.

@Victoria33 this is why I told people they should give Trump credit for bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula and for "de-nuclearizing" the Norks until the ink is dry on the papers.

IMHO they agreed to the talks to stall in order to provide cover for something they are doing behind the scenes.

[Jazzhead]

To the extent that Gaddafi agreed in good faith to give up his nukes,  the end result was the end of his regime, and his humiliating death.   There isn't anything the NORKs fear more.   The NORKs will give up nukes only if the Kim regime will survive.  Solving that conundrum will be quite the challenge - especially since they view their nukes as essential to the regime's survival   

[txradioguy]

To the extent that Gaddafi agreed in good faith to give up his nukes,  the end result was the end of his regime, and his humiliating death.   There isn't anything the NORKs fear more.   The NORKs will give up nukes only if the Kim regime will survive.  Solving that conundrum will be quite the challenge - especially since they view their nukes as essential to the regime's survival   

They have no intention of giving up their nukes...they never have.  The Kim regime will survive regardless because they have top cover from China and Russia.  The only way they'll be toppled is if the people in the North finally get tired of eating moss off of rocks while Dear Leader is eating Filet Mignon.

It won't topple from anything we do or don't do.  And it's foolish if anyone believes otherwise.