Last updated on February 25th, 2019 at 03:45 pm
North Korean state media on Sunday broadcast an editorial blaming Democrats and U.S. intelligence officials for undermining this week’s planned summit between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
They also issued a veiled threat, saying the U.S. could face “security threats” if criticism of the summit continued.
The state news agency KCNA accused the Democrats and U.S. intelligence officials of “chilling the atmosphere” before the two leaders meet in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
“The Democratic Party of the U.S. and other opponents to the negotiations move overtly and covertly to disrupt them as supported by scepticism backed by all sorts of groundless stories and misinformation even at such a crucial moment as now,” state media said.
The commentary was published under the name Jong Hyon. The editorial also warned that people who speak out criticizing the talks between Trump and Kim might expose Americans to “security threats.”
Trump has been optimistic in advance of his second meeting with Kim. He has suggested North Korea could become an economic power if it abandoned its nuclear arsenal, and on Sunday morning said the two leaders “expect a continuation of the progress made at first Summit in Singapore.”
“Very productive talks yesterday with China on Trade. Will continue today! I will be leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam, early tomorrow for a Summit with Kim Jong Un of North Korea, where we both expect a continuation of the progress made at first Summit in Singapore. Denuclearization?”
Very productive talks yesterday with China on Trade. Will continue today! I will be leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam, early tomorrow for a Summit with Kim Jong Un of North Korea, where we both expect a continuation of the progress made at first Summit in Singapore. Denuclearization?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2019
Trump has also said that he would like to see denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, but that he’s in “no rush” to make that happen.
Trump‘s positive outlook on a possible deal with North Korea contrasts the findings of his own intelligence officials, who said at a congressional hearing last month that it was unlikely North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons.
Democrats expressed concerns in the wake of the last summit that Trump had given up too much to Kim and in exchange received very few concrete assurances that anything would change. And, in fact, nothing has changed since then.
It’s unknown what specifics, if any, will result from this week’s summit, and Trump administration officials have provided few answers during calls and meetings with reporters. The officials did, however, say that a priority for the summit is to reach an agreed definition of denuclearization, something that negotiators have yet to accomplish.
Just a few minutes ago Trump tweeted the following:
Chairman Kim realizes, perhaps better than anyone else, that without nuclear weapons, his country could fast become one of the great economic powers anywhere in the World. Because of its location and people (and him), it has more potential for rapid growth than any other nation!
Chairman Kim realizes, perhaps better than anyone else, that without nuclear weapons, his country could fast become one of the great economic powers anywhere in the World. Because of its location and people (and him), it has more potential for rapid growth than any other nation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2019
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