By Leah
Barkoukis |Townhall
South Korea announced Thursday night that North Korean
dictator Kim Jong Un is “committed” to denuclearization and has expressed his
"eagerness to meet with President Trump as soon as possible."
In a brief statement outside the White House, South
Korean National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong said President Trump has agreed
to meet with Kim Jong Un by May to achieve denuclearization.
Chung, who said Kim understood joint military exercises
between the United States and South Korea will continue, credited Trump with
the diplomatic development.
"He (Kim) pledged that North Korea will refrain from
any further nuclear missile tests," he said, adding that Trump's
"leadership" and "maximum pressure" brought us "to
this juncture."
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said
Trump "will accept the invitation to meet with Kim Jong Un at a place and
time to be determined."
"We look forward to the denuclearization of North
Korea. In the meantime, all sanctions and maximum pressure must remain,"
she added.
The announcement comes after Chung led a South Korean
delegation to Pyongyang earlier this week to meet with Kim, the first time
since he took power in 2011.
On Tuesday, Chung said North Korea expressed its
willingness to give up nuclear weapons and even holding talks with the United
States.
"The North side clearly affirmed its commitment to
the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and said it would have no reason
to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and
military threats against North Korea removed," he said.
Trump was cautiously optimistic about the message,
writing on Twitter: "Possible progress being made in talks with North
Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all
parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but
the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"
______________
CNN Anchor Admits if Trump Makes Headway on North Korea,
He'll Be a 'Great President'
South Korea made a major announcement Thursday that could
have a major impact on U.S.-North Korea relations. President Trump has agreed
to meet with Kim Jong Un, provided the North Korean dictator agree to
denuclearization.
“President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he
would meet Kim Jong Un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization” South
Korean National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong said outside of the White House.
Trump confirmed the news soon after the press conference,
although he noted he is taking a cautious approach to the talks.
Kim Jong Un talked about
denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze.
Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great
progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached.
Meeting being planned!
_______________
Erin Burnett moderated the CNN panel tasked with
immediately analyzing the news. At one point, Burnett made a stunning
admission. Should Trump "solve" the North Korea problem, he will be
going down as a great president.
"There's no getting around that," she said.
RNC Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany noticed that a few other
networks that are normally combative with the administration offered similar
praise for the president.
A meeting with the North Korean leader may have seemed out
of the question last year, when Trump was routinely referring to him as
"Rocket Man." At the UN General Assembly in September, Trump warned
Kim Jong Un that the U.S. will not hesitate to respond to his country's
continued aggression.
