The supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, has invited President Trump to meet for negotiations over its nuclear program. The invitation reached Trump through South Korean officials who met with the Kim on Thursday. As the two nations never even shared a phone call, Trump would be the first sitting US president to meet with the North Korean leader. This diplomatic breakthrough, is bringing hopes to many for the nuclear tension to reduce / denuclearization of North Korea.

President Trump himself tweeted regarding the upcoming meeting: “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.” Having an optimistic viewpoint towards the meeting, Trump looks to bring an end to the unresolved tension that began in 1945.

The meeting is forecasted to take place in May, while the exact time and location of the conference is yet to be confirmed. As historic and important the meeting will be, the location will also have a message towards the public. There are currently a few candidates for the location of the meeting. One of which that is most commonly discussed is the Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom that straddles along the Military Demarcation Line between North and South Korea.

The JSA holds as an ideal location for both sides, as soldiers from both countries are standing face-to-face with each other. While the JSA promises security and connection between the two countries, some skeptics argue that JSA is a symbol of the Korean War and continued tensions, rather than a place for a peace deal. Thus

Although many are expecting a positive outcome from this meeting, a number of people have also raised concerns over the safety and security of the President. Some members of the administration urged caution, believing that Kim has hidden intentions in holding this meeting. It is definitely understandable and necessary to keep in mind of these arguments, as multiple diplomatic attempts to curb North Korea’s nuclear program all have failed in the past.

“We hope that these developments will become an important turning point for realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and firmly establishing peace there,” Lee Yu-jin, a government spokeswoman, said Friday.

Nevertheless, the historical meeting is yet to be confirmed, and we will hope that this meeting would serve not just as a turning point, but also a big step towards world peace altogether.

<Richard Yea Portola HS 10th Grade>