The Story Today, President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are meeting in Vietnam for their second summit in less than a year. How'd that first one go again? Picture this: Singapore. Summer 2018. Trump and Kim meet for the first time after months of exchanging threats and making everyone worried WWIII could start at any minute. It was the first time that a sitting US president and a North Korean leader met in person. Sparks flew. Sounds...intimate. But was anything actually accomplished? Ehhh. They agreed to work toward "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" – and Trump said it would start happening ASAP. But they left without any timeline, deadline, or steps to ensure that denuclearization actually happens. And more than six months later, US intelligence officials said the country is "unlikely to give up" all of its nuclear stockpiles. Ah the age old debate...can people really change? Trump's an optimist and thinks he has what it takes to change Kim's ways. That he gets him and that they "fell in love." Critics say Trump's being delusional and that Kim is a power-hungry tyrant who won't actually commit to giving up his weapons. So where does that leave us? At a negotiating table in Hanoi, Vietnam where the two leaders are talking it out for two days. Here's where each side stands:
What the US wants...Complete denuclearization of North Korea. Meaning: dismantling all nuclear weapons and facilities. And the proof that comes with it.
What it's willing to give...Easing up on sanctions on the North Korean economy. So it can flourish like Vietnam.
What North Korea wants...All US troops out of South Korea. No sanctions on its economy. And for the US to remove its nuclear threat in the region.
What it's willing to give up...Unclear. That's the problem. What's expected to happen? Expectations are low. But the two could agree to set up diplomatic offices in the other's country. Or they could take steps towards declaring an end to the Korean War – there hasn't been fighting since 1953, but a peace treaty was never signed (which is one reason why the US still has troops there). Why is it so hard to get sh*t done with North Korea? Trying to figure out actions, definitions, and rewards that are acceptable and beneficial to both countries is easier said than done. And even though Kim committed to denuclearization last summer, it's not the first time North Korea has made that commitment. The country is known for dragging its feet. And going rogue. theSkimm North Korea has been building up its nuclear weapons for years and is considered one of the world's biggest security threats. Trump supporters consider his attempts to change the dynamic commendable. But critics remain skeptical of North Korea's willingness to change. And for what it means globally: if the US softens its demands, other countries may see it as a green light to build up their own nuclear weapons. Which could lead to the same problem, different country. | 
