Kim Jong-un's Proposal... Bolton Claims "Trump Responded by Reducing ROK-US Military Exercises"

Criticized as Impulsive Without Consulting Staff... Strong Condemnation in Bolton Memoir
US-ROK Joint Exercises Also Mentioned in April 27 Inter-Korean Summit

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Claims have been raised that U.S. President Donald Trump responded positively to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un’s proposal to reduce the joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises. President Trump had consistently argued that the joint exercises were excessively costly and a "waste of money," and he reportedly responded spontaneously when Kim mentioned scaling down the drills.

The memoir "The Room Where It Happened" by former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, scheduled for release on the 23rd (local time), captures this atmosphere during the first North Korea-U.S. summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018, when discussions about the joint exercises took place. Bolton, a key figure among neoconservatives and classified as a "super hawk," served as National Security Advisor for one year and five months starting in April 2018.

In particular, Bolton strongly criticized the conversations about the joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises in his memoir. He claimed that President Trump brought up the topic spontaneously without prior consultation with any staff and sought their agreement during the summit. According to Bolton, Kim Jong-un created an atmosphere by stating that there would be no further nuclear tests and that the nuclear program would be dismantled irreversibly, then proposed reducing or abolishing the joint exercises. Bolton wrote that Kim cited the presence of hardliners within North Korea and the need to gain popular support as reasons, to which President Trump responded, "There will be no exercises while we negotiate in good faith."

Discussions about the joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises also appear to have occurred during inter-Korean summits. According to Bolton, Kim Jong-un raised the issue of military exercises with South Korean President Moon Jae-in during the April 27 inter-Korean summit but mentioned that only the U.S. could make decisions on the matter. President Trump reportedly described the joint exercises as provocative and a waste of time and money, expressing his determination to change the minds of U.S. military generals and stating that there would be no exercises.

Bolton recalled that President Trump said North Korea had saved the U.S. a lot of money, and Kim Jong-un smiled brightly.

According to Bolton, the North Korea-U.S. summit began with both leaders praising each other in contrast to their predecessors during the expanded talks. The memoir includes a passage where President Trump accused Kim Jong-un of being "hooked," and another where Secretary of State Mike Pompeo passed a note calling President Trump a "liar" after Trump announced he would seek Senate ratification for all nuclear agreements.

Bolton attended the expanded talks following the private summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un and recounted the conversations that took place. Besides Bolton, Secretary Pompeo and then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly were present. On the North Korean side, Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, Kim Yong-chol, Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party in charge of inter-Korean affairs and head of the United Front Department, and Ri Su-yong, Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party Central Committee and head of the International Department, were in attendance.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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