Trump-Kim Summit Updates: ‘Sometimes You Have to Walk,’ Trump Says as Talks Collapse
• President Trump and Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, failed to reach a deal on denuclearization during their second summit meeting in eight months. “Sometimes you have to walk,” Mr. Trump said after the talks broke down.
• Mr. Trump said Mr. Kim was willing to close some but not all nuclear sites in North Korea in exchange for the lifting of all international sanctions.
• The leaders were scheduled to have lunch together and sign a joint agreement, but those plans were abruptly called off.
Meeting ends abruptly with no agreement
A day that started with the promise of a denuclearization deal and talks of an official declaration to the end the Korean War, ended abruptly without a deal.
“Sometimes you have to walk,” Mr. Trump said at a news conference after the talks fell apart. He said the United States was unwilling to lift all of the sanctions imposed against the North without the promise of full denuclearization.
Thursday began with Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim offering mutual compliments ahead of a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders, which later broadened to include other officials. But plans quickly changed.
First, a working lunch was canceled. Then the signing of joint agreement was scratched.
International news media scrambles
Confusion reigned in the international media center. What was happening? Hundreds of reporters frantically looked for an explanation or a statement from the White House.
Once Mr. Trump’s motorcade left the Metropole Hotel, it was clear that the deal was off.
At the press center, mild mayhem broke out when reporters from a Japanese news network started interviewing a reporter from Voice of America, a news agency funded by the United States government.
Kim cited a willingness to denuclearize
Mr. Kim said that his presence at the summit meeting was a sign of his willingness to denuclearize his country.
“If I’m not willing to do that, I won’t be here right now,” he said in response to a reporter’s question before lunch on Thursday.
“That might be the best answer you’ve ever heard,” Mr. Trump replied.
“We’ve had very very productive discussions,” Mr. Trump added. “The relationship is as good as it’s ever been, I think better.”
When a reporter asked Mr. Kim whether he was willing to take concrete steps toward denuclearization, he said, “That’s what we are discussing right now.”
After Mr. Kim said the United States would be welcome to open a liaison office in North Korea, Mr. Trump signaled his interest in the idea. “I actually think it’s a good idea, both ways,” Mr. Trump said.
