Jung Wook-sik: "Trump Committed Dating Violence Against Kim Jong-un"

President Trump of the United States (left), Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea (right)/Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Ju-hee] North Korea expert and Peace Network representative Jeong Wook-sik likened the background of North Korea's hardline stance on the 22nd to a "kind of dating violence" that U.S. President Donald Trump inflicted on North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un.

Jeong appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 22nd and said, "Trump expressed that he liked Kim Jong-un, trusted him, and even said he had fallen in love. However, he instead intensified sanctions and tormented North Korea," explaining the situation.

He continued, "When you say you love someone but torment them more, such situations repeat, so North Korea made its own reckoning," and analyzed the reason for North Korea's strong stance by saying, "There is a part where they decided not to confuse the personal, private relationship between Kim Jong-un and Trump with the relationship between countries anymore."

Jeong then mentioned Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton as the causes of the deterioration in inter-Korean relations.

He said, "If you summarize the U.S. media coverage about Bolton's memoir, there were 'X-Men' in the process of the Trump-Kim summit. Pompeo handed a note during the North Korea-U.S. summit saying 'The president is a liar,' and shortly after said, 'Trump's approach to North Korea and diplomacy with North Korea is 100% bound to fail,' didn't he?" He analyzed that inter-Korean relations deteriorated because South and North Korea were hurt by Pompeo and Bolton.

He expressed concern, saying, "Pompeo is still active, and the two people who can be called the main culprits who brought South and North Korea to this state are, to put it bluntly, doing well, while South and North Korea are now trying to fight each other."

As a measure to ease inter-Korean tensions, Jeong emphasized, "Since North Korea is in a state of resentment, a cooling-off period is necessary," and added, "We must keep the promises or agreements well even now. Even if North Korea distributes anti-South leaflets, we do not need to respond in kind. Also, Trump, who promised twice to suspend the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, should belatedly declare a halt to the military exercises."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.