After third Korean summit, another Kim-Trump meeting on radar?

Pyongyang, Sept 19: the world is still hopeful about North Korea. The hermit nation's leadership's renewed commitment to denuclearisation which was expressed during this week's Inter-Korean summit raised hopes of a second summit between Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

Last week, the White House confirmed the news of Trump having received a letter from the North Korean leader in which the latter requested a second meeting between the two countries. According to the White House sources, planning is already underway for that.

Trump met Kim in Singapore on June 12 following a long roller-coaster ride. Although there was no shortage of hype around that summit for it was a historical first, there was not much solid outcome from that meeting as the agreement the two leaders signed over peace in the Korean Peninsula was also criticised as vague.

As per the Yonhap report, the US's preparation for another Trump-Kim summit could see a push after Trump praised Kim's commitments during his summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to shut a missile testing site in the presence of international experts and also, if the US cooperates through reciprocation, a key nuclear facility as well.

Though experts feel Trump's hawkish advisers like National Security Adviser John Bolton will still feel it is not enough to engage in talks with North Korea, the final word on this rests with Trump who wants to leave a lasting legacy on the Korean peace process.

Kim and Moon had their first summit at the border town of Panmunjom in April in the run-up to the Kim-Trump meeting.