Trump Says He ‘Accomplished a Lot’ in Talks With South Korea’s Moon
U.S. President Donald Trump said he has “accomplished a lot” in talks on trade and North Korea with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Moon said the two leaders have had an “honest discussion” in meetings Thursday and Friday as the two leaders met with reporters for a brief photo spray in the White House Oval Office. They are to give a joint statement on their talks later Friday.
The meeting was a chance for the two leaders, who have sharply different ideas about how best to address the threat from North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile tests, to reconcile their approaches.
The Trump administration, which has grown increasingly frustrated with provocations from Kim Jong Un’s regime, on Thursday announced it was imposing sanctions on a Chinese bank, a shipping company, and two Chinese citizens in an effort to pressure the regime. The penalties include prohibitions that will cut off the Bank of Dandong from the international finance system.
The move came after the death of Otto Warmbier, a U.S. college student detained and imprisoned in North Korea, earlier this month.
But Moon, a former human-rights lawyer who took office last month, has advocated increased dialogue with North Korea in an effort to calm tensions. He’s slowed deployment of a U.S. missile shield in South Korea, and an adviser suggested downsizing joint military exercises. He’s also pushed for symbolic gestures, including the possibility of North Korean participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Trump also has criticized the current U.S. free trade agreement with South Korea, saying it hurts U.S. automobile and steel industries.
The White House has said it plans to raise its trade concerns with world leaders at the G-20 conference next week.
“The United States stands firm against all unfair trading practices, including massive distortions in the global steel market and other non-market practices that harm U.S. workers,” Trump aide Gary Cohn told reporters on Thursday, adding that the country would “act to ensure a level playing field for all.
Source:bloomerg.com