My name is Daniel. I was an English teacher in Seoul, South Korea, and am now a writer who has
published four books including South Korea: Our Story by Daniel Nardini.
I found U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about North Korean
leader Kim Jong-un being "sincere" and "honorable" as unacceptable. A man who puts his
people into slave labor camps, who lets so many of people starve, and who brutally executes
innocent individuals and families is far, far from honorable. In this context, I see NOTHING
in any act Kim does or any negotiations he participates in as having any moral or honorable
content. If Kim is negotiating anything it is purely for tactical reasons. Part of the reason why
he is talking about "nuclear disarmament" is largely because he has already completed any and
all testing of the nuclear weaponry he needs. Another reason may be what Chinese scientists
and researchers have found. According to what satellite findings they have discovered, the
North Korean nuclear testing site of Punggye-ri has completely collapsed. A large cavity that
had formed inside the mountain because of the nuclear testing has completely caved in and
can no longer be used. Worse, the whole facility might crack open and leak deadly radiation
throughout the area. At this point we really do not know because the North Koreans are keeping
totally silent on the issue and the Chinese scientists cannot confirm their findings. But if
Punggye-ri is totally unusable then it means that the North Koreans will have to build a whole new
nuclear testing site, and they simply do not have the money or resources at this time to do so.
Hence, they are going to use negotiations to get what they want. Whether they get anything
remains to be seen. But one should NOT mistake the North Korean effort at negotiations with
any sincerity for a better, more peaceful situation on the Korean peninsula. It is simply another
means to keep the Kim dynasty alive.