Summary of What a 2nd Trump-Kim summit could mean for the push to denuclearize North Korea

00:00:00 - 00:05:00

The White House has announced a new summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, with speculation that the meeting could take place at the end of February in Vietnam. North Korea's chief negotiator Kim Yong-chol met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Steve Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea, before going to the White House to meet President Trump. While both leaders have committed to a new relationship and peace since the last summit, there have been no new agreements for carrying out that framework. Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks discusses the potential danger of miscalculation and degradation of readiness due to the suspension of military exercises but acknowledges that if creating leverage or traction comes from these adjustments, then it's a risk that has to be consciously taken.

• 00:00:00 In this section, the White House has announced a new summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, with speculation that the meeting could take place at the end of February in Vietnam. North Korea’s chief negotiator Kim Yong-chol met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Steve Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea, before going to the White House to meet President Trump. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders mentioned the US policy of combined maximum pressure and diplomacy and said the president would keep pressure and sanctions on North Korea until they see fully and verified denuclearisation. Though both leaders have committed to a new relationship and peace since the last summit, there has been no new agreements for carrying out that broad framework.
• 00:05:00 In this section, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks discusses the potential danger of miscalculation and how close the US was to going to war with North Korea. He states that the capability to go to war was clearly there, and that the military preparations were also present. The spark that could have led to a military conflict could have been any action without explanation that was misconstrued. He also talks about the potential degradation of readiness due to the suspension of military exercises but acknowledges that if creating leverage or traction comes from these adjustments, then it's a risk that has to be consciously taken. Finally, he states that outgoing Secretary of Defense Mattis played an enormous role in shaping US policy on the Korean Peninsula.