[Correspondent Column] Kim Jong-un's Final Gift as He Lets Go of Trump

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] On the 10th, the leaders of North Korea and the United States appeared before the public. Whether intentional or not, the two chose the same day as if by coincidence.

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, who often disappears from sight sparking rumors about his health, returned once again in a healthy state through the 75th anniversary military parade of the Workers' Party.

Although Kim had previously expressed concern for President Donald Trump's health through letters and messages, on this day he did not send a direct message to the U.S. or President Trump. It was unlike the recent moment when he wished for Trump's speedy recovery from COVID-19. Instead, Kim showcased new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), as if reminding the world not to forget him.

While the U.S. government appeared to exercise restraint, the public and experts were thrown into an uproar. American experts watching the parade live sighed repeatedly, analyzing it as "the largest-ever mobile ICBM" and speculating that it "must be equipped with multiple warheads."

Nevertheless, President Trump made no comment. Neither during the White House event that day nor in his usual "storm of tweets" did North Korea or the ICBMs become topics of interest. Although a journalist mentioned on Twitter that Trump was angry about the ICBM reveal, neither mainstream U.S. media nor the outlet the journalist belonged to reported this, making the credibility of the claim low.

While Kim made a spectacular return, President Trump appeared before the public in a situation akin to "a candle in the wind." Due to his COVID-19 infection, he had to be content with delivering a speech from the White House balcony. The presidential election was imminent, but he had botched the TV debates and further damaged his reputation by contracting COVID-19 consecutively. On that day, Trump seemed to have no room to mention North Korea. The victory in that speech leaned more toward Kim's side than Trump's.

Whether the two will meet again is uncertain, but considering recent public opinion polls in the U.S., the possibility of a permanent farewell carries weight. The uncertainty surrounding Trump's reelection suggests that their relationship may end here. It is not easy to recreate a situation like former U.S. President Bill Clinton's visit to North Korea after leaving office to secure the release of detainees, which occurred when denuclearization talks were close to fruition.

In this regard, Kim's unveiling of the ICBM may be the last gift he gave to President Trump. In fact, many believe that the ICBM North Korea revealed this time might be a hollow shell. What U.S. experts confirmed was only that the mobile launcher moving the ICBM was operational.

Kim demonstrated his power to surprise the U.S. simply by revealing missiles that have yet to be test-fired, while also keeping his promise not to launch them. If President Trump wins the election and resumes denuclearization talks, Kim will have grounds to claim, "I kept my promise." From North Korea's perspective, even if a new U.S. administration takes office, there are various options.

Although Kim mentioned "beloved southern compatriots," ultimately, the negotiations are not between the two Koreas but between North Korea and the U.S. Kim surely knows that the U.S. Democratic Party, which had previously avoided addressing North Korea by advocating "strategic patience," must now prepare for negotiations with North Korea. It is time to acknowledge that the efforts of our government, which has worked hard to improve inter-Korean relations, are likely to end in vain. A swift change in perception makes finding solutions easier.

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