WEBVTT 00:00:14.580 --> 00:00:17.430 From Pacifica, this is Democracy Now! 00:00:18.190 --> 00:00:20.140 We’re very proud of what took place today. 00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.780 I think our whole relationship with North Korea 00:00:24.780 --> 00:00:26.260 and the Korean Peninsula 00:00:26.260 --> 00:00:30.600 is—it’s going to be a very much different situation 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:32.360 than it has in the past. 00:00:32.360 --> 00:00:34.850 And we’re going to take care of a very big 00:00:34.850 --> 00:00:36.860 and very dangerous problem for the world. 00:00:36.860 --> 00:00:39.270 And I want to thank Chairman Kim. 00:00:39.270 --> 00:00:42.300 After an historic summit in Singapore, 00:00:42.300 --> 00:00:43.860 President Trump and North Korean 00:00:43.860 --> 00:00:46.030 President Kim Jong-un have pledged 00:00:46.030 --> 00:00:48.620 to work toward complete denuclearization 00:00:48.620 --> 00:00:50.290 of the Korean Peninsula. 00:00:50.290 --> 00:00:51.560 It marked the first time 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:53.910 the leaders of the two countries have ever met. 00:00:54.530 --> 00:00:56.960 After the summit, President Trump announced 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:59.550 the end of U.S. war games with South Korea, 00:00:59.550 --> 00:01:01.560 admitting the exercises have been 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:04.430 "very provocative" and "inappropriate." 00:01:04.430 --> 00:01:07.810 We’ll air highlights from Trump and Kim’s remarks. 00:01:08.320 --> 00:01:13.620 We had a historic meeting 00:01:13.620 --> 00:01:16.390 and decided to leave the past behind. 00:01:16.390 --> 00:01:18.960 And we are about to sign a historic document. 00:01:20.350 --> 00:01:22.950 The world will see a major change. 00:01:23.610 --> 00:01:25.080 We’ll go to Singapore, 00:01:25.080 --> 00:01:27.800 to Washington and Chicago for the latest. 00:01:27.800 --> 00:01:29.420 All that and more, coming up. 00:01:34.830 --> 00:01:37.900 Welcome to Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, 00:01:37.900 --> 00:01:39.250 The War and Peace Report. 00:01:39.250 --> 00:01:40.450 I’m Amy Goodman. 00:01:40.450 --> 00:01:43.160 President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 00:01:43.160 --> 00:01:46.500 have wrapped up an historic summit in Singapore, 00:01:46.500 --> 00:01:49.770 where they pledged to work toward complete denuclearization 00:01:49.770 --> 00:01:51.510 of the Korean Peninsula. 00:01:51.510 --> 00:01:53.350 The summit marked the first-ever meeting 00:01:53.350 --> 00:01:55.060 between a sitting U.S. president 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:56.680 and a North Korean leader. 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:59.420 Following the historic meeting, President Trump announced 00:01:59.420 --> 00:02:01.570 the end of U.S.-South Korean war games. 00:02:01.570 --> 00:02:02.600 President Donald Trump: 00:02:02.600 --> 00:02:04.290 "We’ll be stopping the war games, 00:02:04.830 --> 00:02:07.020 which will save us a tremendous amount of money, 00:02:07.670 --> 00:02:12.120 unless and until we see that the future negotiation 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:15.310 is not going along like it should. 00:02:16.290 --> 00:02:18.540 But we’ll be saving a tremendous amount of money. 00:02:18.540 --> 00:02:20.310 Plus I think it’s very provocative." 00:02:20.940 --> 00:02:24.200 That was Trump speaking in a news conference 00:02:24.200 --> 00:02:25.880 early this morning, 00:02:25.880 --> 00:02:28.930 his first press conference in over a year. 00:02:28.930 --> 00:02:32.310 Trump also expressed hope for an end to the Korean conflict. 00:02:32.310 --> 00:02:35.020 President Donald Trump: "An extremely bloody conflict 00:02:35.020 --> 00:02:37.070 ravaged the Korean Peninsula. 00:02:38.070 --> 00:02:40.300 Countless people died in the conflict, 00:02:40.300 --> 00:02:44.010 including tens of thousands of brave Americans. 00:02:44.820 --> 00:02:46.900 Yet while the armistice was agreed to, 00:02:46.900 --> 00:02:49.400 the war never ended, to this day never ended. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:53.400 But now we can all have hope that it will soon end. 00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:54.970 And it will. It will soon end. 00:02:56.190 --> 00:03:00.120 The past does not have to define the future." 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:01.950 After headlines, we’ll go to Singapore 00:03:01.950 --> 00:03:03.740 for more on this historic meeting 00:03:03.740 --> 00:03:05.560 between President Trump and North Korean 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:06.880 leader Kim Jong-un. 00:03:07.420 --> 00:03:10.820 In major immigration news, Attorney General Jeff Sessions 00:03:10.820 --> 00:03:12.750 announced Monday that domestic violence 00:03:12.750 --> 00:03:15.600 will no longer be grounds for asylum, 00:03:15.600 --> 00:03:18.760 a far-reaching shift that could affect thousands of women 00:03:18.760 --> 00:03:20.280 fleeing gender-based violence, 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:22.650 particularly from Central America. 00:03:22.650 --> 00:03:24.700 Sessions overturned a precedent set 00:03:24.700 --> 00:03:27.200 in a 2014 immigration appeals 00:03:27.200 --> 00:03:29.400 court ruling that had granted asylum 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:31.070 to a Guatemalan woman named 00:03:31.070 --> 00:03:34.300 Aminta Cifuentes, who had fled to the United States 00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:36.560 after being brutally abused by her husband 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:39.130 for years—raped, beaten, kicked, burned with acid, 00:03:39.130 --> 00:03:40.640 and punched so hard in the stomach 00:03:40.640 --> 00:03:41.810 when she was 8 months pregnant 00:03:41.810 --> 00:03:44.370 that her child was born prematurely and with bruises. 00:03:44.880 --> 00:03:46.970 He told her it was pointless to go to the police, 00:03:46.970 --> 00:03:50.360 because "even the police and judges beat their wives." 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:52.840 She did go to authorities, who refused to intervene. 00:03:53.550 --> 00:03:55.350 When she left him, he tracked her down 00:03:55.350 --> 00:03:56.750 and threatened to kill her. 00:03:56.750 --> 00:03:58.440 She then fled for the United States, 00:03:58.440 --> 00:04:00.360 where she finally won asylum. 00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:02.960 But on Monday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:05.660 overturned the precedent set in her case, ruling 00:04:06.270 --> 00:04:09.540 "claims by aliens pertaining to domestic violence 00:04:09.540 --> 00:04:12.660 or gang violence perpetrated by nongovernmental actors 00:04:12.660 --> 00:04:14.760 will not qualify for asylum." 00:04:15.790 --> 00:04:18.070 Immigration lawyers have condemned the ruling, 00:04:18.070 --> 00:04:19.750 which could have sweeping effects 00:04:19.750 --> 00:04:21.940 not only for women fleeing domestic violence, 00:04:21.940 --> 00:04:24.480 but all people fleeing gang-based violence. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:27.870 Karen Musalo of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies 00:04:27.870 --> 00:04:29.190 at the University of California 00:04:29.190 --> 00:04:30.930 Hastings College of the Law said, 00:04:31.660 --> 00:04:35.020 "What this decision does is yank us all back to the Dark Ages 00:04:35.020 --> 00:04:37.450 of human rights and women’s human rights." 00:04:38.750 --> 00:04:40.540 This comes as The Washington Post 00:04:40.540 --> 00:04:43.260 is reporting that the Honduran asylum seeker 00:04:43.260 --> 00:04:46.410 who died by suicide after Border Patrol agents 00:04:46.410 --> 00:04:49.840 forcibly separated him from his 3-year-old child 00:04:49.840 --> 00:04:51.260 had come to the United States 00:04:51.260 --> 00:04:53.330 with his family fleeing violence. 00:04:53.330 --> 00:04:54.750 The Honduran Consulate says 00:04:54.750 --> 00:04:57.220 Marco Antonio Muñoz and his family fled 00:04:57.220 --> 00:05:00.400 Honduras after Muñoz’s brother-in-law was murdered. 00:05:00.400 --> 00:05:02.070 After they arrived in the United States, 00:05:02.070 --> 00:05:04.850 they voluntarily surrendered to Border Patrol agents 00:05:04.850 --> 00:05:07.280 and said they wanted to apply for asylum. 00:05:07.280 --> 00:05:11.700 But when agents told Muñoz he would be separated from his son, 00:05:11.700 --> 00:05:13.580 he appears to have had a panic attack. 00:05:13.580 --> 00:05:15.690 The agents then ripped the boy out of his arms 00:05:15.690 --> 00:05:17.780 and transported Muñoz to a Texas jail, 00:05:17.780 --> 00:05:20.580 where he was found dead by suicide the following morning. 00:05:21.310 --> 00:05:24.500 A newly published open letter signed by 00:05:24.500 --> 00:05:28.630 over 1,000 mental health professionals and organizations 00:05:28.630 --> 00:05:31.360 has condemned the Trump administration’s practice 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:33.930 of separating children and parents at the border, 00:05:33.930 --> 00:05:35.110 writing, 00:05:35.110 --> 00:05:37.430 "We cannot afford to forget that there is 00:05:37.430 --> 00:05:40.590 a history of separating children from their parents: 00:05:40.590 --> 00:05:41.920 during slave auctions; 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:44.480 during the forced assimilation of American Indians; 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:46.000 and during the Holocaust. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:47.880 … To somehow convince ourselves 00:05:47.880 --> 00:05:50.730 that this systematic traumatization of children 00:05:50.730 --> 00:05:53.500 has no bearing on the lives of these children 00:05:53.500 --> 00:05:56.070 and no impact on the legacy of our country 00:05:56.070 --> 00:05:58.820 is to be living in an alternate universe. 00:05:58.820 --> 00:06:00.780 And to not care about the impact 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:02.950 these policies have on these children 00:06:02.950 --> 00:06:06.340 is to succumb to the worst potential of humanity." 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:10.030 In a major voting rights case, 00:06:10.030 --> 00:06:15.210 the Supreme Court has ruled 5 to 4 to uphold Ohio’s decision 00:06:15.210 --> 00:06:18.390 to aggressively purge voters from the rolls. 00:06:18.390 --> 00:06:21.810 The ruling allows Ohio to purge voters from the rolls 00:06:21.810 --> 00:06:23.790 if they haven’t voted in recent elections 00:06:23.790 --> 00:06:27.230 and don’t respond to a notice from election officials. 00:06:27.230 --> 00:06:32.590 A 2016 Reuters survey found nearly 150,000 people 00:06:32.590 --> 00:06:35.700 were removed from the voting rolls in recent years in Ohio’s 00:06:35.700 --> 00:06:37.820 three largest counties alone. 00:06:37.820 --> 00:06:40.790 A handful of other states have similar voting laws. 00:06:40.790 --> 00:06:43.140 The ruling to uphold Ohio’s decision 00:06:43.140 --> 00:06:44.600 to remove voters from the rolls 00:06:44.600 --> 00:06:47.980 is part of a nationwide battle over voter suppression efforts 00:06:47.980 --> 00:06:49.670 pushed by the Republican Party. 00:06:50.380 --> 00:06:53.700 On Monday, dozens of people were arrested 00:06:53.700 --> 00:06:55.100 in front of the Supreme Court 00:06:55.100 --> 00:06:57.150 as part of a national day of action 00:06:57.150 --> 00:06:59.490 for the new Poor People’s Campaign 00:06:59.490 --> 00:07:02.230 protesting poverty and racism. 00:07:02.230 --> 00:07:04.300 This is Reverend Dr. William Barber, 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:08.180 speaking at a rally just before he too was arrested. 00:07:08.180 --> 00:07:10.690 Rev. William Barber II: "How many of you understand: 00:07:10.690 --> 00:07:13.020 How do Supreme Court justices get on the court? 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:15.510 They get what? Nominated by who?" 00:07:15.510 --> 00:07:16.830 Protesters: "The president." Rev. William Barber II: 00:07:16.830 --> 00:07:18.260 "And then they get what by the Senate?" 00:07:18.260 --> 00:07:18.860 Protesters: "Confirmed." 00:07:18.860 --> 00:07:20.990 Rev. William Barber II: "How do senators get into office?" 00:07:20.990 --> 00:07:22.170 Protesters: "Voting." Rev. William Barber II: 00:07:22.170 --> 00:07:25.270 "So you understand why voting suppression is a labor issue?" 00:07:25.270 --> 00:07:26.220 Protesters: "Yes." Rev. William Barber II: 00:07:26.220 --> 00:07:28.620 "Voter suppression is not just a black issue. 00:07:28.620 --> 00:07:31.410 It’s a labor issue, it’s a poor people’s issue, 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:33.710 because if you suppress the vote, 00:07:33.710 --> 00:07:36.130 you undermine the ability to elect people, 00:07:36.130 --> 00:07:37.890 and if you undermine the ability to elect people, 00:07:37.890 --> 00:07:39.100 you get people elected 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:41.670 that will give you a regressive Supreme Court. 00:07:41.670 --> 00:07:44.800 So you can’t separate voting rights from labor rights. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.370 It’s not that the black folk are over here 00:07:46.370 --> 00:07:47.490 fighting for voting rights, 00:07:47.490 --> 00:07:49.670 and the white folks are over here fighting for labor rights. 00:07:49.670 --> 00:07:52.650 We all better be fighting for all of our rights, 00:07:52.650 --> 00:07:54.300 every one of them!" 00:07:54.300 --> 00:07:56.520 Nine religious leaders, led by Rev. 00:07:56.520 --> 00:08:00.230 Liz Theoharis, were arrested at the Supreme Court 00:08:00.230 --> 00:08:04.300 and have been held overnight in jail by Capitol Police. 00:08:04.300 --> 00:08:08.710 They were among dozens of people arrested in nationwide protests 00:08:08.710 --> 00:08:11.110 staging a moral revival, 00:08:11.110 --> 00:08:13.950 50 years after Martin Luther King Jr.'s 00:08:13.950 --> 00:08:16.430 original Poor People's Campaign. 00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:20.150 In downtown Boston, protesters blocked traffic 00:08:20.150 --> 00:08:22.080 to demand a higher minimum wage. 00:08:22.080 --> 00:08:23.350 In Olympia, Washington, 00:08:23.350 --> 00:08:25.400 activists erected tents 00:08:25.400 --> 00:08:27.200 to protest homelessness 00:08:27.200 --> 00:08:28.880 and unaffordable housing. 00:08:28.880 --> 00:08:30.330 In Sacramento, California, 00:08:30.330 --> 00:08:33.420 hundreds rallied outside the California Association 00:08:33.420 --> 00:08:36.480 of Realtors’ office to protest evictions. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.440 Monday’s actions were part of the Poor People’s Campaign’s 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.750 fifth week of nationwide protests. 00:08:47.030 --> 00:08:50.120 The Washington Post is reporting President Trump’s daughter, 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:52.620 Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner, 00:08:55.400 --> 00:09:00.980 raked in at least $82 million in outside income last year, 00:09:00.980 --> 00:09:04.520 even as both served as senior White House advisers. 00:09:04.520 --> 00:09:07.930 Ivanka Trump received nearly $4 million from her stake 00:09:07.930 --> 00:09:09.460 in the Trump International Hotel 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:11.090 in Washington, D.C., 00:09:11.090 --> 00:09:13.340 $2 million from the Trump Organization 00:09:13.340 --> 00:09:15.070 and $5 million from the trust 00:09:15.070 --> 00:09:17.160 that oversees her clothing brand. 00:09:17.160 --> 00:09:20.850 Her husband, Jared Kushner, raked in a total of $70 million 00:09:20.850 --> 00:09:22.160 from dozens of companies 00:09:22.160 --> 00:09:24.220 tied to his family’s real estate company, 00:09:24.220 --> 00:09:25.710 Kushner Companies. 00:09:25.710 --> 00:09:28.900 Ethics experts say the extraordinary income flow 00:09:28.900 --> 00:09:31.150 while the two are serving as senior White House 00:09:31.150 --> 00:09:35.470 advisers raises concerns about conflicts of interest. 00:09:36.180 --> 00:09:39.380 In Yemen, the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition bombed 00:09:39.380 --> 00:09:41.780 a new Doctors Without Borders cholera clinic 00:09:41.780 --> 00:09:44.340 in Yemen’s northwestern Abs region. 00:09:44.340 --> 00:09:47.290 Doctors Without Borders said that before the strike 00:09:47.290 --> 00:09:49.920 the group had provided the coordinates of the clinic 00:09:49.920 --> 00:09:51.390 to the Saudi-led coalition 00:09:51.390 --> 00:09:53.070 and that the roof of the building 00:09:53.070 --> 00:09:55.880 clearly identified it as a medical site. 00:09:55.880 --> 00:09:58.440 The ongoing U.S.-backed, Saudi-led war in Yemen 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:01.020 has sparked the world’s worst cholera epidemic, 00:10:01.020 --> 00:10:03.930 with more than 1 million people affected. 00:10:03.930 --> 00:10:06.450 This comes as the United Nations is warning 00:10:06.450 --> 00:10:08.350 an impending Saudi-led offensive 00:10:08.350 --> 00:10:10.740 on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah 00:10:10.740 --> 00:10:14.330 could have catastrophic humanitarian consequences. 00:10:14.330 --> 00:10:17.380 This is Mark Lowcock, the U.N. under-secretary-general 00:10:17.380 --> 00:10:19.520 for humanitarian affairs. 00:10:19.520 --> 00:10:22.620 Mark Lowcock: "Seven million people are completely reliant 00:10:22.620 --> 00:10:24.810 every month on food, 00:10:24.810 --> 00:10:27.600 and more than 7 million on other assistance, 00:10:28.220 --> 00:10:30.110 from humanitarian organizations. 00:10:30.640 --> 00:10:34.280 So, Hudaydah is absolutely central 00:10:34.280 --> 00:10:36.250 to the preserving of life. 00:10:36.820 --> 00:10:39.720 And if, for any period, 00:10:40.950 --> 00:10:44.070 Hudaydah were not to operate effectively, 00:10:44.770 --> 00:10:49.060 the consequences in humanitarian terms 00:10:49.610 --> 00:10:51.500 would be catastrophic." 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:54.440 The Wall Street Journal reports the Trump administration 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.400 is weighing expanding its role in the war in Yemen 00:10:57.400 --> 00:10:59.820 by providing direct assistance 00:10:59.820 --> 00:11:02.290 to the impending Saudi-led offensive 00:11:02.290 --> 00:11:04.720 against the port city of Hudaydah. 00:11:05.390 --> 00:11:08.480 In Syria, the United Nations says nearly 1 million people 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:10.160 were displaced inside Syria 00:11:10.160 --> 00:11:11.750 during the first four months of this 00:11:11.750 --> 00:11:14.340 year—the highest levels of internal displacement 00:11:14.340 --> 00:11:17.510 since the Syrian conflict began seven years ago. 00:11:17.510 --> 00:11:19.800 In total, more than 6 million Syrians 00:11:19.800 --> 00:11:21.770 are displaced inside the country, 00:11:21.770 --> 00:11:24.590 with another five-and-a-half million Syrian refugees 00:11:24.590 --> 00:11:27.030 displaced outside Syria’s borders. 00:11:27.710 --> 00:11:30.640 In Vietnam, police detained over 100 people 00:11:30.640 --> 00:11:34.190 protesting against proposed special economic zones 00:11:34.190 --> 00:11:37.510 amid widespread demonstrations in recent days. 00:11:37.510 --> 00:11:40.480 The protests have forced lawmakers to postpone a vote 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:42.120 on whether to approve a new law 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:45.770 that would give foreign investors 99-year leases on land 00:11:45.770 --> 00:11:48.730 inside the special economic zones. 00:11:49.300 --> 00:11:51.950 The Spanish government has agreed to allow a boat 00:11:51.950 --> 00:11:55.750 carrying more than 600 refugees to dock in Valencia, 00:11:55.750 --> 00:11:59.330 after Italy’s new anti-immigrant government turned the boat away, 00:11:59.330 --> 00:12:03.120 leaving the hundreds of refugees stranded in the Mediterranean. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:06.080 The boat is carrying over 120 unaccompanied children 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:07.700 and seven pregnant women. 00:12:07.700 --> 00:12:10.880 In Italy, the mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris, 00:12:10.880 --> 00:12:13.010 condemned the Italian government’s decision 00:12:13.010 --> 00:12:15.000 to reject the refugee boat. 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:20.880 Mayor Luigi de Magistris: "The port of Naples is open. 00:12:20.880 --> 00:12:24.710 Whoever prevents a ship from docking in a port to save lives, 00:12:24.710 --> 00:12:26.860 whoever puts human lives at risk, 00:12:26.860 --> 00:12:29.710 not only behaves in an undignified, shameful 00:12:29.710 --> 00:12:32.220 and ethically reprehensible way, 00:12:32.220 --> 00:12:34.080 but commits a crime against humanity 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:37.090 and will be called to answer before international tribunals." 00:12:38.920 --> 00:12:41.200 And the Department of Education has launched 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:43.620 a federal investigation into the University 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:46.430 of Southern California’s handling of sexual abuse 00:12:46.430 --> 00:12:48.380 claims against the school’s 00:12:48.380 --> 00:12:51.160 former gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall. 00:12:51.750 --> 00:12:53.800 Authorities say school administrators 00:12:53.800 --> 00:12:57.130 received reports of sexual abuse during pelvic exams 00:12:57.130 --> 00:12:59.840 dating back to the early 1990s 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:04.900 but failed to investigate these reports until 2016. 00:13:04.900 --> 00:13:09.730 Authorities say Tyndall may have seen 10,000 patients. 00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:12.560 And those are some of the headlines this is Democracy 00:13:12.560 --> 00:13:15.750 Now, Democracynow.org, the War and Peace Report. 00:13:15.750 --> 00:13:17.750 I’m Amy Goodman. 00:13:22.020 --> 00:13:24.040 JUAN GONZÁLEZ: We spend today’s show in Singapore, 00:13:24.040 --> 00:13:26.010 where President Trump and North Korean 00:13:26.010 --> 00:13:29.630 leader Kim Jong-un have wrapped up an historic summit, 00:13:29.630 --> 00:13:32.500 pledging to work toward complete denuclearization 00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:34.270 of the Korean Peninsula. 00:13:34.270 --> 00:13:36.250 In addition, President Trump announced 00:13:36.250 --> 00:13:39.530 the end of U.S.-South Korean war games. 00:13:39.530 --> 00:13:41.300 The summit marked the first-ever meeting 00:13:41.300 --> 00:13:43.030 between a sitting U.S. president 00:13:43.030 --> 00:13:44.600 and a North Korean leader. 00:13:45.260 --> 00:13:48.460 It came just weeks after another historic meeting 00:13:48.460 --> 00:13:51.980 between Kim and South Korean leader Moon Jae-in, 00:13:51.980 --> 00:13:55.660 where they agreed to work to formally end the Korean War. 00:13:55.660 --> 00:13:57.430 AMY GOODMAN: The U.S.-North Korean summit 00:13:57.430 --> 00:14:01.930 began with President Trump and Kim publicly shaking hands. 00:14:01.930 --> 00:14:05.430 They then met privately for less than an hour, 00:14:05.430 --> 00:14:08.340 with only them and their two translators. 00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:11.580 This was followed by a large meeting with top aides. 00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:13.440 At the conclusion of the summit, 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:15.940 President Trump and President Kim 00:14:15.940 --> 00:14:17.530 spoke briefly to the press 00:14:17.530 --> 00:14:19.590 while signing a joint statement. 00:14:20.180 --> 00:14:21.680 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So we’re signing a very important 00:14:21.680 --> 00:14:23.410 document, 00:14:23.410 --> 00:14:25.460 a pretty comprehensive document. 00:14:26.730 --> 00:14:30.630 And we’ve had a really great term together, 00:14:30.630 --> 00:14:32.750 a great relationship. 00:14:32.750 --> 00:14:40.870 ... Would you like to say something to the press? 00:14:40.870 --> 00:14:49.340 KIM JONG-UN: [translated] Today, we had a historic meeting 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:52.110 and decided to leave the past behind. 00:14:52.110 --> 00:14:54.810 And we are about to sign a historic document. 00:14:57.150 --> 00:15:01.670 The world will see a major change. 00:15:03.810 --> 00:15:12.260 I would like to express my gratitude 00:15:12.260 --> 00:15:14.060 to President Trump 00:15:14.060 --> 00:15:16.890 to make this meeting happen. Thank you. 00:15:16.890 --> 00:15:18.890 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Thank you very much. 00:15:21.540 --> 00:15:23.100 Thank you very much. It’s fantastic. 00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:36.160 Thank you very much, everybody. 00:15:36.160 --> 00:15:38.060 We’ll see you a little bit later. 00:15:38.060 --> 00:15:40.190 And we’re very proud of what took place today. 00:15:41.370 --> 00:15:44.830 I think our whole relationship with North Korea 00:15:44.830 --> 00:15:46.450 and the Korean Peninsula 00:15:46.450 --> 00:15:50.650 is—it’s going to be a very much different situation 00:15:50.650 --> 00:15:54.230 than it has in the past. We both want to do something. 00:15:54.230 --> 00:15:55.750 We both are going to do something. 00:15:56.500 --> 00:15:59.540 And we have developed a very special bond. 00:15:59.540 --> 00:16:02.290 So, people are going to be very impressed. 00:16:02.290 --> 00:16:03.560 People are going to be very happy. 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:06.620 And we’re going to take care of a very big 00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:08.620 and very dangerous problem for the world. 00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:10.870 And I want to thank Chairman Kim. 00:16:11.530 --> 00:16:14.850 We spent a lot of time together today, very intensive time. 00:16:15.570 --> 00:16:17.840 And I would actually say that it worked out 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.120 for both of us far better 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:21.220 than anybody could have expected, 00:16:21.220 --> 00:16:24.450 I think far better. I watched the various news reports. 00:16:24.450 --> 00:16:26.820 I would say far better than anybody even predicted. 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:31.190 And this is going to lead to more and more and more. 00:16:31.190 --> 00:16:34.610 And it’s an honor to be with you, very great honor. 00:16:34.610 --> 00:16:37.270 Thank you. Thank you, to all of your representatives, very much. 00:16:38.410 --> 00:16:40.510 Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. 00:16:40.510 --> 00:16:42.650 REPORTER: Will you invite Chairman Kim to the White House? 00:16:42.650 --> 00:16:45.080 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Absolutely, I will. 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:46.700 REPORTER: Mr. Kim, would you like to come to Washington? 00:16:47.990 --> 00:16:50.110 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Thank you. Thank you, everybody. 00:16:51.150 --> 00:16:52.710 JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Hours later, President Trump 00:16:52.710 --> 00:16:54.500 held a press conference 00:16:55.330 --> 00:16:56.650 that lasted over an hour, 00:16:56.650 --> 00:16:58.750 during which he announced the U.S. would end 00:16:58.750 --> 00:17:01.790 what he described as "provocative" war games 00:17:01.790 --> 00:17:03.240 off the coast of North Korea. 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:05.540 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: At some point I have to be honest. 00:17:05.540 --> 00:17:08.200 And I used to say this during my campaign, 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:09.800 as you know probably better than most. 00:17:10.990 --> 00:17:12.880 I want to get our soldiers out. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:14.480 I want to bring our soldiers back home. 00:17:15.070 --> 00:17:18.970 We have right now 32,000 soldiers in South Korea, 00:17:19.870 --> 00:17:21.680 and I’d like to be able to bring them back home. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:23.680 But that’s not part of the equation right now. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:27.050 At some point, I hope it will be, but not right now. 00:17:27.050 --> 00:17:28.880 We will be stopping the war games, 00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:31.610 which will save us a tremendous amount of money, 00:17:32.260 --> 00:17:36.710 unless and until we see the future negotiation 00:17:36.710 --> 00:17:39.900 is not going along like it should. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:43.130 But we’ll be saving a tremendous amount of money. 00:17:43.130 --> 00:17:44.900 Plus I think it’s very provocative. 00:17:45.530 --> 00:17:48.370 AMY GOODMAN: We’ll spend the hour on the historic summit. 00:17:48.370 --> 00:17:51.100 We begin in Singapore, where we’re joined by Tim Shorrock, 00:17:51.100 --> 00:17:53.910 who’s been covering the summit for The Nation magazine. 00:17:53.910 --> 00:17:55.640 Tim grew up in Tokyo and Seoul, 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:57.670 has been writing about the U.S. role in Korea 00:17:57.670 --> 00:17:59.780 since the late 1970s. 00:17:59.780 --> 00:18:02.870 Well, Tim, this is the end of an historic day. 00:18:02.870 --> 00:18:05.870 Talk about the highlights, what you were most surprised by, 00:18:05.870 --> 00:18:08.570 the significance of what has just taken place. 00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:14.180 TIM SHORROCK: Well, it was a pretty amazing day. 00:18:14.180 --> 00:18:16.210 I think the most significant thing 00:18:16.210 --> 00:18:19.070 I heard—I just actually returned about an hour ago 00:18:19.070 --> 00:18:22.470 from—I was at that press conference with President Trump. 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.220 It’s the first time I’ve seen him in action live, 00:18:25.750 --> 00:18:27.310 and it’s the longest press conference, 00:18:27.310 --> 00:18:30.110 I think, he’s given in his entire presidency. 00:18:30.110 --> 00:18:32.200 He was exuberant. He was buoyant. 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:35.320 He was enthusiastic. He was cracking jokes. 00:18:35.320 --> 00:18:38.570 He seemed really, you know, very, very pleased with himself. 00:18:39.120 --> 00:18:42.020 The most surprising thing I heard was when he said, 00:18:42.020 --> 00:18:44.180 you know, "We’re going to end the war games." 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:46.460 And that had not been previously announced. 00:18:47.080 --> 00:18:51.000 Yesterday, here in Singapore, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:54.770 had said that the U.S. was ready to give, 00:18:54.770 --> 00:18:58.440 what he said, very unique guarantees, 00:18:58.440 --> 00:19:00.870 security guarantees, to North Korea. 00:19:00.870 --> 00:19:02.340 No one was really sure what he meant. 00:19:02.340 --> 00:19:04.330 But I think it’s clear what they meant 00:19:04.330 --> 00:19:06.570 was the ending of these war games, 00:19:06.570 --> 00:19:08.760 which may have even stunned South Korea, 00:19:08.760 --> 00:19:12.270 because I’m not clear exactly how much he consulted 00:19:12.270 --> 00:19:14.470 with President Moon Jae-in on this. 00:19:14.470 --> 00:19:16.690 That was one thing I was very surprised by. 00:19:17.760 --> 00:19:20.830 And I think that’s actually quite a stunning development. 00:19:20.830 --> 00:19:24.880 And overall, the agreement’s, you know, very, very positive. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:29.000 A lot of people have noted that it’s a little bit vague 00:19:30.320 --> 00:19:32.090 in terms of really spelling out 00:19:32.090 --> 00:19:34.340 how—what denuclearization means 00:19:34.340 --> 00:19:38.690 and how, the steps North Korea will take to denuclearize. 00:19:38.690 --> 00:19:41.260 But President Trump seems pretty confident 00:19:41.260 --> 00:19:42.610 that that’s the way they’re moving. 00:19:43.730 --> 00:19:46.040 Another part of the agreement 00:19:46.040 --> 00:19:47.400 that I thought was very important 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:50.510 was the fact that they’re going to resume—North Korea 00:19:50.510 --> 00:19:54.470 is going to allow U.S. military to resume searching for, 00:19:54.470 --> 00:19:57.570 you know, American soldiers that were killed and missing 00:19:57.570 --> 00:19:59.570 in North Korea. 00:20:00.490 --> 00:20:03.650 For a long time, you know, until about 10 or 15 years ago, 00:20:04.310 --> 00:20:07.300 the Pentagon was doing this in North Korea 00:20:07.300 --> 00:20:08.980 and working with the North Korean government 00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:10.750 in searching for remains. 00:20:10.750 --> 00:20:12.440 And now this is going to start again. 00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:14.630 And one of the things that’s significant about it 00:20:14.630 --> 00:20:17.820 is that it actually puts U.S. military personnel 00:20:17.820 --> 00:20:19.310 in North Korea. 00:20:19.310 --> 00:20:22.300 And so, you know, that’s a real change in the relationship. 00:20:22.300 --> 00:20:24.420 And the entire way that President Trump 00:20:24.420 --> 00:20:26.240 talked about Kim Jong-un 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.370 was just—you know, was just stunning. 00:20:28.370 --> 00:20:31.840 And I think it really took that crowd of reporters, 00:20:31.840 --> 00:20:35.260 especially all these hotshot White House reporters, 00:20:35.260 --> 00:20:37.160 you know, quite by surprise, 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:39.520 and, you know, the feeling of friendliness 00:20:39.520 --> 00:20:41.060 he had toward Kim Jong-un 00:20:41.060 --> 00:20:43.060 and the fact that Kim Jong-un 00:20:43.060 --> 00:20:44.660 greeted him in English this morning 00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:47.020 and, you know, spoke kindly to him and greeted him. 00:20:48.150 --> 00:20:51.570 But it clearly looks like they’re kind of moving 00:20:51.570 --> 00:20:53.600 to a whole new situation 00:20:53.600 --> 00:20:55.280 between the U.S. and North Korea. 00:20:56.340 --> 00:20:59.290 And, you know, I think the—North Korea 00:20:59.290 --> 00:21:02.170 has been saying for years and years, 00:21:02.170 --> 00:21:04.200 and especially over the last year, 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:07.280 they wanted the U.S. to end its hostile policy. 00:21:07.280 --> 00:21:10.280 And these military exercises were clearly, 00:21:10.280 --> 00:21:12.650 you know, a key part of this hostile policy. 00:21:12.650 --> 00:21:14.910 And so, removing that seems very important. 00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:17.020 And the fact that Kim Jong-un 00:21:17.020 --> 00:21:19.630 committed himself to this on paper 00:21:19.630 --> 00:21:21.620 with the president of the United States 00:21:21.620 --> 00:21:22.940 seems quite significant, 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:26.920 even though the agreement is kind of vague 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:28.100 in some of the specifics 00:21:28.100 --> 00:21:30.060 about how they’re going to go about these steps. 00:21:30.810 --> 00:21:32.270 JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Tim, I’m wondering if you could talk 00:21:32.270 --> 00:21:34.110 a little bit more about these war games, 00:21:34.110 --> 00:21:37.700 because the reality is that in the U.S. press 00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:39.500 they get very little attention, 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:42.630 but they are regular features of life 00:21:43.620 --> 00:21:45.600 around the Korean Peninsula. 00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:49.960 And also, they have always been raised by North Korea 00:21:50.550 --> 00:21:54.810 as a signal of the threat from the United States 00:21:54.810 --> 00:21:57.300 that they face and a reason for them 00:21:57.300 --> 00:22:00.010 building up their nuclear arsenal, as well. 00:22:03.700 --> 00:22:04.340 TIM SHORROCK: Well, that’s right. 00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:05.980 And, you know, they’ve been going on for a long time. 00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:10.270 They did—the U.S. did suspend them 00:22:10.270 --> 00:22:11.730 for a while during the ’90s, 00:22:11.730 --> 00:22:14.390 while, you know, the negotiations were going on 00:22:14.390 --> 00:22:17.090 with President Clinton on the earlier nuclear agreement. 00:22:17.660 --> 00:22:19.590 But, you know, in the past few years, 00:22:20.130 --> 00:22:23.210 these exercises have really increased in size and tempo. 00:22:23.770 --> 00:22:26.780 And, you know, 2017, last year, 00:22:26.780 --> 00:22:29.370 when all the tension was increasing, 00:22:29.370 --> 00:22:31.160 the United States and South Korea 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:33.770 held two series of exercises. 00:22:33.770 --> 00:22:37.080 In both of them, they practiced things like, 00:22:37.080 --> 00:22:40.270 you know, the sort of regime change exercises, really. 00:22:40.270 --> 00:22:43.060 They call them decapitation strikes, 00:22:43.690 --> 00:22:46.950 where they actually practice going into North Korea 00:22:46.950 --> 00:22:48.700 and killing off the leadership. 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:51.450 So, of course that was seen as a big threat to North Korea. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:54.270 But, you know, these are—last year especially, 00:22:54.270 --> 00:22:56.920 these are massive, I mean, involving aircraft carriers, 00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:58.630 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, 00:22:58.630 --> 00:23:00.710 nuclear-armed aircraft carriers, 00:23:00.710 --> 00:23:04.330 nuclear submarines, planes, B-52s. 00:23:05.250 --> 00:23:07.190 But over the past six months, 00:23:07.190 --> 00:23:10.920 as these talks—as the diplomacy has been going on, 00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:14.370 they did scale back the last series of exercises, 00:23:14.370 --> 00:23:17.880 although what really got these talks sort of jump-started, 00:23:18.490 --> 00:23:23.020 in terms of Trump and Kim, was North Korea’s objection 00:23:23.020 --> 00:23:29.890 to certain strategic bombers being used by the United States 00:23:29.890 --> 00:23:33.060 in the last series of exercises a few weeks ago—namely, 00:23:33.060 --> 00:23:35.890 B-52 bombers that carry nuclear weapons. 00:23:35.890 --> 00:23:39.030 And North Korea got very upset about it 00:23:39.030 --> 00:23:41.390 and, you know, canceled their talks temporarily 00:23:41.390 --> 00:23:44.680 with South Korea over those strategic bombers. 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:47.800 And then the U.S. backed down and said, 00:23:47.800 --> 00:23:49.010 "OK, we’re not going to use them." 00:23:49.010 --> 00:23:51.660 So, you know, this is quite a step. 00:23:52.450 --> 00:23:55.120 AMY GOODMAN: And, Tim, let’s go to President Trump, 00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:57.590 in this news conference that he just held, 00:23:57.590 --> 00:23:59.890 about an hour before the broadcast, 00:23:59.890 --> 00:24:03.220 the first extended press conference 00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:05.370 he’s held in over a year, 00:24:05.370 --> 00:24:08.390 speaking precisely about those planes. 00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:10.540 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We’ve done exercises 00:24:10.540 --> 00:24:12.100 for a long period of time, 00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:13.500 working with South Korea. 00:24:14.320 --> 00:24:17.900 And we call them war games, and I call them war games. 00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:19.720 And they’re tremendously expensive. 00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:22.850 The amount of money that we spend on that is incredible. 00:24:23.810 --> 00:24:27.570 And South Korea contributes, but not 100 percent, 00:24:27.570 --> 00:24:29.830 which is certainly a subject 00:24:29.830 --> 00:24:31.560 that we have to talk to them about also. 00:24:32.350 --> 00:24:34.770 And that has to do with the military expense 00:24:34.770 --> 00:24:36.530 and also the trade. 00:24:36.530 --> 00:24:37.910 So, we’re doing that. 00:24:37.910 --> 00:24:39.880 We actually have a new deal with South Korea 00:24:39.880 --> 00:24:41.830 in terms of the trade deal, but we have to talk to them. 00:24:41.830 --> 00:24:43.460 We have to talk to many countries 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:45.240 about treating us fairly. 00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:47.020 But the war games are very expensive. 00:24:47.020 --> 00:24:49.220 We pay for a big majority of them. 00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:52.930 We fly in bombers from Guam. I said it when I first started. 00:24:52.930 --> 00:24:54.520 I said, "Where do the bombers come from?" 00:24:54.520 --> 00:24:56.780 Guam, nearby. 00:24:56.780 --> 00:24:59.320 I said, "Oh, great, nearby. Where’s nearby?" 00:24:59.320 --> 00:25:01.820 Six-and-a-half hours. Six-and-a-half-hours, 00:25:01.820 --> 00:25:04.970 that’s a long time for these big, massive planes 00:25:04.970 --> 00:25:08.920 to be flying to South Korea to practice 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:10.650 and then drop bombs all over the place 00:25:10.650 --> 00:25:12.020 and then go back to Guam. 00:25:12.870 --> 00:25:15.470 I know a lot about airplanes. It’s very expensive. 00:25:16.280 --> 00:25:17.690 And I didn’t like it. 00:25:17.690 --> 00:25:21.740 And what I—what I did say is—and I think it’s very provocative. 00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:23.760 I have to tell you, Jennifer, 00:25:23.760 --> 00:25:27.230 it’s a very provocative situation, 00:25:27.230 --> 00:25:31.220 when—when I see that, and you have a country right next door. 00:25:32.280 --> 00:25:33.890 So, under the circumstances, 00:25:33.890 --> 00:25:37.460 that we’re negotiating a very comprehensive, complete deal, 00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:39.710 I think it’s inappropriate to be having war games. 00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:42.580 So, number one, we save money—a lot. 00:25:43.130 --> 00:25:46.440 And, number two, it really is something 00:25:46.440 --> 00:25:48.450 that I think they very much appreciated. 00:25:48.450 --> 00:25:49.980 AMY GOODMAN: That’s President Trump speaking at 00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:50.710 his news conference 00:25:50.710 --> 00:25:53.770 against a backdrop of the logo of the summit, 00:25:53.770 --> 00:25:56.220 which is a combination, in a circle, 00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:58.810 of the American and North Korean flags. 00:25:59.310 --> 00:26:00.380 This is Democracy Now! 00:26:00.380 --> 00:26:02.990 When we come back, we’ll continue with Tim Shorrock, 00:26:02.990 --> 00:26:05.520 who is right now in Singapore, 00:26:05.520 --> 00:26:09.060 and we’ll be joined by one of the leading scholars on Korea, 00:26:09.060 --> 00:26:11.360 Bruce Cumings, as well as Christine Ahn, 00:26:11.970 --> 00:26:15.980 who has been working on the issue of Korea, 00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:19.290 a Korean herself, for many years. 00:26:19.290 --> 00:26:21.110 This is Democracy Now! Back in a minute. 00:26:21.110 --> 00:27:36.390 [break] 00:27:36.390 --> 00:27:37.810 AMY GOODMAN: "Spring Rain" by Yiruma, 00:27:37.810 --> 00:27:39.010 here on Democracy Now!, 00:27:39.010 --> 00:27:41.420 democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. 00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:43.320 I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. 00:27:43.320 --> 00:27:46.140 We’re still with Tim Shorrock, who is in Singapore, 00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:47.510 was at the news conference, 00:27:47.510 --> 00:27:51.650 President Trump’s first extended news conference in over a year. 00:27:51.650 --> 00:27:52.850 Juan? 00:27:52.850 --> 00:27:55.620 JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Tim, I wanted to ask you about the statement 00:27:55.620 --> 00:27:56.850 that they signed, 00:27:56.850 --> 00:27:58.090 that the two leaders signed, 00:27:58.090 --> 00:28:00.930 that basically had four general points 00:28:00.930 --> 00:28:04.990 about committing to establishing new relationships 00:28:04.990 --> 00:28:05.970 between the United States 00:28:05.970 --> 00:28:09.390 and the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea 00:28:09.390 --> 00:28:11.180 and building a stable and lasting peace. 00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:17.440 But one of the principles is reaffirming the April 27, 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:19.150 2018, 00:28:19.150 --> 00:28:21.300 Panmunjom Declaration, 00:28:21.910 --> 00:28:24.220 which is—really came out of the meeting 00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:25.700 of the South Korean leader 00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:29.680 and the North Korean leader back on April 28th. 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:30.950 So this is really, basically, 00:28:30.950 --> 00:28:34.530 reaffirming what has already been negotiated, 00:28:34.530 --> 00:28:37.150 which is working toward an end to the Korean War. 00:28:40.890 --> 00:28:41.890 TIM SHORROCK: That’s right. 00:28:41.890 --> 00:28:43.690 And I thought that was actually significant, 00:28:43.690 --> 00:28:46.610 because it does put the two Koreas back 00:28:46.610 --> 00:28:49.690 in the middle of this, of the middle of any agreement. 00:28:49.690 --> 00:28:53.470 And, of course, that Panmunjom Declaration did say, 00:28:53.470 --> 00:28:55.420 you know, ending the war, ending the hostility, 00:28:55.420 --> 00:28:57.700 and taking steps to end the hostilities, 00:28:57.700 --> 00:28:59.510 and then, of course, expanding it 00:28:59.510 --> 00:29:00.800 to make a peace treaty 00:29:00.800 --> 00:29:02.340 ending—formally ending the war, 00:29:02.340 --> 00:29:05.420 which would have to include China and the United States. 00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:07.930 Now, I was a little surprised that, you know, 00:29:07.930 --> 00:29:09.160 they didn’t actually say 00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:11.820 they were going to have a peace treaty 00:29:11.820 --> 00:29:13.660 or announce the end of the Korean War, 00:29:13.660 --> 00:29:15.880 as some people—as, actually, 00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:17.490 Trump had led people to anticipate. 00:29:18.040 --> 00:29:21.000 But I think it’s very important that this is included. 00:29:21.890 --> 00:29:23.570 And I also want to say, again, you know, 00:29:23.570 --> 00:29:25.880 back in terms of the exercises, 00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:29.130 that his term—use of the term "provocative," 00:29:29.130 --> 00:29:32.340 I almost fell out of my chair when I heard him say that, 00:29:32.340 --> 00:29:34.080 because, I mean, for those of us 00:29:34.080 --> 00:29:36.740 who have been critical of these military exercises, 00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:38.720 you know, we call them provocative, too. 00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:40.160 And, you know, I know people 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:41.440 who have been 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:43.120 sort of attacked, redbaited, 00:29:43.120 --> 00:29:44.820 just for saying that. 00:29:44.820 --> 00:29:47.690 So, you know, he’s taken quite a bold step here. 00:29:49.170 --> 00:29:52.950 It still is unclear to me exactly what role 00:29:52.950 --> 00:29:55.850 the South Korean government played in this 00:29:55.850 --> 00:29:58.490 and how much they were actually consulted. 00:29:58.490 --> 00:30:01.010 And I do think that, you know, 00:30:01.010 --> 00:30:03.160 just talking to some of the Korean reporters 00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:04.900 I was sitting with at the press conference, 00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:07.480 that there’s probably a possibility 00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:11.070 that this agreement is going to be very much criticized 00:30:11.070 --> 00:30:12.800 by—especially in South Korea, 00:30:12.800 --> 00:30:15.500 by the right, which is not very big, 00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:16.830 but is very vocal, 00:30:16.830 --> 00:30:19.910 maybe, you know, 20 percent or so of the voting population. 00:30:19.910 --> 00:30:21.600 But, you know, the parties are there, 00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:23.160 and they’ve been very critical, of course, 00:30:23.160 --> 00:30:24.760 of the Panmunjom Declaration. 00:30:24.760 --> 00:30:26.080 They don’t like it. 00:30:26.080 --> 00:30:28.850 They don’t like really making peace with North Korea. 00:30:28.850 --> 00:30:33.020 And I think that this idea of ending the war exercises, 00:30:33.020 --> 00:30:35.570 for them, is going to be very, very troublesome. 00:30:35.570 --> 00:30:38.650 And it’s going to be an issue for Moon Jae-in, as well, 00:30:38.650 --> 00:30:40.100 because he’s been under attack 00:30:40.100 --> 00:30:42.000 from the right wing in South Korea. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:45.540 And I think it’s a huge opening for critics of Trump here, 00:30:45.540 --> 00:30:49.430 both from the liberal side and from the conservative side. 00:30:49.430 --> 00:30:50.800 You know, we saw last week 00:30:50.800 --> 00:30:53.130 the Democratic—the Senate Democrats 00:30:53.130 --> 00:30:55.650 put out this letter saying that 00:30:55.650 --> 00:30:58.040 unless North Korea did show that it was, 00:30:58.040 --> 00:31:02.930 you know, moving solidly toward denuclearization, 00:31:02.930 --> 00:31:05.840 verifiable, irreversible and so on, 00:31:05.840 --> 00:31:07.270 that they would oppose the agreement. 00:31:07.270 --> 00:31:09.270 And so I think we’re going to see opposition 00:31:10.150 --> 00:31:13.450 from some Senate Democrats on this 00:31:13.450 --> 00:31:15.990 and probably, you know, other people in Congress. 00:31:16.520 --> 00:31:19.090 And there’s a lot of liberals that are really—don’t 00:31:19.090 --> 00:31:21.120 really like the way this panned out, 00:31:21.120 --> 00:31:22.530 in terms of like—you know, 00:31:22.530 --> 00:31:24.810 they think that Trump is maybe abandoning 00:31:24.810 --> 00:31:26.500 another ally and that kind of thing. 00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:29.050 So I think there’s a lot to be understood, 00:31:29.750 --> 00:31:32.630 you know, how this came out and how this was worked out, 00:31:32.630 --> 00:31:34.140 if it was, with South Korea. 00:31:34.680 --> 00:31:36.090 AMY GOODMAN: I mean, this is an important point. 00:31:36.090 --> 00:31:38.430 And in a moment, we’re going to be going to Ro Khanna, 00:31:38.430 --> 00:31:39.680 a congressman, 00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:43.260 talking about Democratic opposition to this summit, 00:31:43.260 --> 00:31:45.880 which is a very interesting flip right now. 00:31:45.880 --> 00:31:47.930 And before we lose you on the satellite, 00:31:47.930 --> 00:31:52.820 Tim, this statement that has been signed, 00:31:52.820 --> 00:31:56.240 talk about the atmosphere in the room of the news conference, 00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:58.130 as you are saying, the elite reporters 00:31:58.130 --> 00:32:01.420 there having so many questions about: 00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:04.080 What do you mean the war games will be canceled? 00:32:04.080 --> 00:32:05.820 But also, overall, 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:07.970 does this statement 00:32:07.970 --> 00:32:10.060 represent something new? 00:32:10.060 --> 00:32:13.300 Has something like this been signed before? 00:32:16.710 --> 00:32:18.940 TIM SHORROCK: Something like this has been signed before, 00:32:18.940 --> 00:32:19.690 yes. 00:32:19.690 --> 00:32:24.170 And some of the language is very similar to past agreements, 00:32:24.170 --> 00:32:25.510 not only the '94 agreement, 00:32:25.510 --> 00:32:27.160 but agreements that happened after that. 00:32:27.870 --> 00:32:31.020 But the difference is you had the two leaders meeting. 00:32:31.020 --> 00:32:33.370 I mean, obviously, this was an unprecedented meeting 00:32:33.370 --> 00:32:35.220 between the president of the United States 00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:37.470 and the chairman of North Korea, the leader of North Korea. 00:32:37.470 --> 00:32:39.570 So, you know, you've never had a document 00:32:39.570 --> 00:32:42.560 where the top leaders of the countries signed. 00:32:42.560 --> 00:32:45.600 So that makes it, you know, a much stronger agreement. 00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:49.900 But as for the press, I mean, their—actually, you know, 00:32:49.900 --> 00:32:51.790 half the questions at the press conference 00:32:51.790 --> 00:32:54.080 were about the issue of human rights. 00:32:54.080 --> 00:32:56.980 This has become a big concern for a lot of people, 00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:59.520 you know, why didn’t they raise it and this kind of thing. 00:33:00.150 --> 00:33:02.970 They seem to think that human rights should be raised first. 00:33:02.970 --> 00:33:06.300 And we can see this, you know, in some—and The New York Times 00:33:06.300 --> 00:33:09.600 today has lots about that, op-eds about this. 00:33:09.600 --> 00:33:11.900 And so I think he’s going to be really criticized 00:33:13.110 --> 00:33:15.040 from the Democrat Party, 00:33:15.040 --> 00:33:16.630 as well as some Republicans, 00:33:16.630 --> 00:33:20.000 for not going after Kim Jong-un on human rights. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:23.320 But, you know, I think that, clearly, 00:33:23.320 --> 00:33:24.970 ending the war and bringing peace 00:33:24.970 --> 00:33:26.940 is going to be good for human rights. 00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:28.690 And I think that would be my response 00:33:28.690 --> 00:33:29.820 if I was asked about it. 00:33:29.820 --> 00:33:32.080 But I think that there’s going to be 00:33:32.080 --> 00:33:36.790 a lot of political minefields here in the U.S. in this, 00:33:36.790 --> 00:33:38.930 and I expect to see a fair amount 00:33:38.930 --> 00:33:40.980 of—a fair amount of opposition 00:33:40.980 --> 00:33:42.980 and a lot of criticism. 00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:45.480 AMY GOODMAN: Tim, we want to thank you for being with us, 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:47.180 directly from the news conference, 00:33:47.180 --> 00:33:48.940 speaking to us from Singapore, 00:33:48.940 --> 00:33:51.970 where this historic summit has just taken place. 00:33:52.610 --> 00:33:54.490 AMY GOODMAN: We go back to President Trump’s 00:33:54.490 --> 00:33:56.330 news conference this morning. 00:33:57.220 --> 00:33:59.610 JOHN ROBERTS: The denuclearization—nuclear weapons 00:33:59.610 --> 00:34:00.790 and biological weapons 00:34:00.790 --> 00:34:03.360 and whatnot—is one problem in North Korea. 00:34:03.360 --> 00:34:06.760 Another huge problem is the horrible record 00:34:06.760 --> 00:34:08.170 that they have on human rights. 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:10.520 Was that discussed at all? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yes. 00:34:10.520 --> 00:34:11.690 JOHN ROBERTS: Is that something that you will 00:34:11.690 --> 00:34:12.360 tackle in the future? 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:14.190 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yes, it was discussed. 00:34:14.190 --> 00:34:17.110 It will be discussed more in the future, human rights. 00:34:18.220 --> 00:34:21.610 What was also discussed, in great detail, John, 00:34:21.610 --> 00:34:25.210 was the fact that, you know, we have—and I must have had 00:34:25.760 --> 00:34:30.030 just countless calls and letters and tweets: 00:34:30.030 --> 00:34:31.370 "Anything you can do..." 00:34:31.370 --> 00:34:33.510 They want the remains of their sons back. 00:34:33.510 --> 00:34:35.920 They want the remains of their fathers and mothers 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:39.280 and all of the people that got caught into 00:34:39.280 --> 00:34:40.820 that really brutal war, 00:34:41.770 --> 00:34:45.270 which took place, to a large extent, in North Korea. 00:34:45.270 --> 00:34:49.810 And I asked for it today, and we got it. 00:34:49.810 --> 00:34:54.060 That was a very last minute. The remains will be coming back. 00:34:54.060 --> 00:34:56.510 They’re going to start that process immediately. 00:34:56.510 --> 00:34:57.980 AMY GOODMAN: That’s President Trump being questioned 00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:59.870 at the news conference in Singapore. 00:34:59.870 --> 00:35:02.070 I want to bring in Christine Ahn. 00:35:02.070 --> 00:35:05.670 She is founder and international coordinator of Women Cross DMZ, 00:35:05.670 --> 00:35:07.560 a global movement of women 00:35:07.560 --> 00:35:10.380 mobilizing to end the Korean War. 00:35:11.030 --> 00:35:13.040 A big day for you, Christine. 00:35:13.780 --> 00:35:17.230 Can you respond to what he’s saying here? 00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:20.970 President Trump—many reporters asked questions 00:35:20.970 --> 00:35:22.670 about human rights, 00:35:22.670 --> 00:35:27.710 and then he moved into the question of Korean remains. 00:35:31.410 --> 00:35:33.560 CHRISTINE AHN: It was an historic day 00:35:33.560 --> 00:35:36.320 for ending the Korean War. 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:41.810 I mean, this is a statement that I thought was significant, 00:35:41.810 --> 00:35:43.870 in the sense that it starts 00:35:43.870 --> 00:35:47.240 by talking about peace and prosperity 00:35:47.240 --> 00:35:50.530 and security assurances to North Korea, 00:35:50.530 --> 00:35:53.060 and then he later noted, in the press conference, 00:35:53.060 --> 00:35:55.150 about the war games. 00:35:55.150 --> 00:35:57.030 I mean, he used the word "war games" 00:35:57.780 --> 00:36:00.980 to define the U.S.-South Korea military exercises. 00:36:00.980 --> 00:36:04.730 And then he goes into denuclearization. 00:36:04.730 --> 00:36:07.480 And I think that that was a significant shift 00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:12.530 and showed the pragmatism of President Trump in this moment, 00:36:12.530 --> 00:36:14.560 that he understood 00:36:14.560 --> 00:36:17.220 why North Korea was pursuing nuclear weapons 00:36:17.220 --> 00:36:20.080 as a deterrent against a U.S. first strike. 00:36:20.080 --> 00:36:22.300 So I think that was a significant shift. 00:36:22.300 --> 00:36:26.560 And the last point about the return of family servicemen 00:36:26.560 --> 00:36:27.440 remains 00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:29.780 and putting it in the context of human rights, 00:36:29.780 --> 00:36:30.930 I think, is significant, 00:36:30.930 --> 00:36:35.570 because when you have an ongoing state of war, 00:36:35.570 --> 00:36:39.130 not only does it preclude 00:36:39.130 --> 00:36:40.910 having nations 00:36:40.910 --> 00:36:44.270 be respecters of human rights, 00:36:44.270 --> 00:36:47.210 it’s also about an unresolved war 00:36:47.210 --> 00:36:50.050 that doesn’t allow closure to take place. 00:36:50.680 --> 00:36:54.350 And that is for at least 5,000 American families, 00:36:54.350 --> 00:36:57.670 who are waiting for the remains of their fathers. 00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:00.250 You know, I think about my friend Rick Downes, 00:37:00.250 --> 00:37:02.160 who is the executive director of Coalition 00:37:02.160 --> 00:37:07.350 of Families of American POW/MIA families from the Korean War. 00:37:07.350 --> 00:37:10.420 And he talks about how he was on a plane 00:37:10.420 --> 00:37:13.830 that landed over into Pyongyang and that, 00:37:13.830 --> 00:37:15.220 you know, that was the closest 00:37:15.220 --> 00:37:18.410 he had ever been to his father since he was 3 years old. 00:37:18.410 --> 00:37:22.780 And so, this is about bringing it about families, 00:37:22.780 --> 00:37:25.180 and so there are thousands of American families 00:37:25.180 --> 00:37:26.930 that still have yet to have closure. 00:37:26.930 --> 00:37:30.110 But there are millions of Korean families 00:37:30.110 --> 00:37:32.030 that still have to have 00:37:32.030 --> 00:37:34.900 some kind of reconciliation and healing. 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:37.240 And the first step to ending the Korean War 00:37:37.240 --> 00:37:38.540 takes us in that direction. 00:37:38.540 --> 00:37:41.020 I think, you know, this was the first time 00:37:41.020 --> 00:37:43.440 I felt like I could listen at length 00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:44.890 to what Donald Trump was saying. 00:37:44.890 --> 00:37:46.750 It was as if he had a beating heart. 00:37:46.750 --> 00:37:50.630 And the way in which he has been talking about the Korean War 00:37:50.630 --> 00:37:52.870 and that this is a 7-decade war 00:37:52.870 --> 00:37:55.370 that has languished on for far too long, 00:37:55.370 --> 00:37:58.190 I think, is a significant step. 00:37:58.190 --> 00:38:01.170 And we have been hearing so much in the media 00:38:01.170 --> 00:38:06.310 about how this is a thin and insubstantial document. 00:38:06.310 --> 00:38:09.250 And, you know, the truth is, this is the first time 00:38:09.250 --> 00:38:12.730 that a U.S. president has sat down, shook hands, 00:38:12.730 --> 00:38:16.690 we saw the DPRK and American flag side by side. 00:38:16.690 --> 00:38:18.440 I mean, this is unprecedented. 00:38:18.440 --> 00:38:21.430 And I think it’s a new day for the Korean Peninsula. 00:38:21.430 --> 00:38:23.710 But that’s why I’m here in Washington, D.C., 00:38:23.710 --> 00:38:26.640 because we know that, contrary to the perception 00:38:26.640 --> 00:38:29.620 that North Korea has been the one responsible 00:38:29.620 --> 00:38:31.300 for the derailment 00:38:31.300 --> 00:38:33.440 of the implementation of past agreements, 00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:37.220 we know that past presidents, whether it was Clinton or Bush, 00:38:37.220 --> 00:38:40.160 not only faced an opposition party 00:38:40.730 --> 00:38:44.440 that didn’t want to see the implementation of the Agreed 00:38:44.440 --> 00:38:46.500 Framework—Newt Gingrich and the Republican 00:38:46.500 --> 00:38:50.010 Party—but also President Bush faced opposition 00:38:50.010 --> 00:38:52.200 within his own administration, 00:38:52.200 --> 00:38:55.990 the hardliners that didn’t want to see through the agreement 00:38:55.990 --> 00:38:57.200 during the six-party talks. 00:38:57.200 --> 00:38:59.470 So, I think it’s really important. 00:38:59.470 --> 00:39:02.280 For now, this is—a peace process has begun. 00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:05.250 It’s now the job of those of us, civil society, 00:39:05.250 --> 00:39:09.010 especially women’s groups, to ensure that our positions, 00:39:09.010 --> 00:39:12.640 our points and that we are included in this peace process. 00:39:13.800 --> 00:39:15.780 JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Christine, I wanted to ask you also about 00:39:15.780 --> 00:39:18.110 the role of Kim Jong-un, 00:39:18.110 --> 00:39:19.420 because, obviously, President Trump 00:39:19.420 --> 00:39:20.750 has gotten all the attention, 00:39:20.750 --> 00:39:24.650 but this is a startling turnabout for a leader 00:39:24.650 --> 00:39:27.840 who was largely isolated in the rest of the world 00:39:27.840 --> 00:39:29.660 and, just in a few short months, 00:39:30.760 --> 00:39:33.060 not only sent a delegation 00:39:33.060 --> 00:39:36.530 to the Winter Olympics to begin the thaw, 00:39:36.530 --> 00:39:39.240 but then also had meetings, two meetings, 00:39:39.240 --> 00:39:40.560 with the president of China, 00:39:40.560 --> 00:39:46.790 Xi Jinping, as well as the April 27th meeting with Moon Jae-in. 00:39:46.790 --> 00:39:51.900 And the role of Kim Jong-un in this diplomatic turnaround? 00:39:53.040 --> 00:39:54.560 CHRISTINE AHN: Well, I think that this has been 00:39:54.560 --> 00:39:55.700 part of the plan, 00:39:55.700 --> 00:39:58.450 the North Korean plan, for several years. 00:39:58.450 --> 00:40:00.800 And, you know, we know that their policy 00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:02.020 of the byungjin line, 00:40:02.020 --> 00:40:06.920 which is a dual track of trying to achieve a nuclear deterrent 00:40:06.920 --> 00:40:09.390 to defend the nation against a U.S. 00:40:09.390 --> 00:40:12.080 first strike—and we know that those provocative war drills 00:40:12.080 --> 00:40:15.800 have been very much part of that North Korean mentality 00:40:15.800 --> 00:40:18.070 of being under siege—and then 00:40:18.070 --> 00:40:20.430 the second is about economic development. 00:40:20.430 --> 00:40:24.150 And so, you know, when they—the New Year’s address 00:40:24.150 --> 00:40:26.460 that Kim Jong-un made this year said, 00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:28.110 you know, "We’ve completed this, 00:40:28.110 --> 00:40:32.070 and now we want to move forward," 00:40:32.070 --> 00:40:34.790 and—you know, when a new administration 00:40:34.790 --> 00:40:36.960 was going to come into power in South Korea. 00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:39.510 And thankfully, thanks to the Candlelight Revolution, 00:40:39.510 --> 00:40:42.760 that was even, you know, expedited, 00:40:43.720 --> 00:40:45.550 and Moon Jae-in came into power. 00:40:45.550 --> 00:40:47.590 And that’s obviously a huge reason 00:40:47.590 --> 00:40:49.270 why we are even at this moment, 00:40:49.270 --> 00:40:53.010 is because of the incredible diplomacy of Moon Jae-in. 00:40:53.010 --> 00:40:55.040 But, you know, Kim Jong-un, 00:40:55.040 --> 00:40:59.200 as one of the leading Russian scholars on North Korea 00:40:59.200 --> 00:41:00.480 has said, he is the most—one 00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:02.440 of the most pro-market 00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:04.960 North Korean leaders ever. 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:09.010 And we know that he wants to make significant changes 00:41:09.010 --> 00:41:11.870 for the well-being of the North Korean people. 00:41:11.870 --> 00:41:16.550 And, obviously, ending the hostile relations 00:41:16.550 --> 00:41:18.980 with the United States, the world’s superpower, 00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:21.400 is going to be a huge obstacle 00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:25.250 that will no longer be in place, in terms of the sanctions, 00:41:25.250 --> 00:41:28.280 in terms of the isolation politically, economically, 00:41:28.920 --> 00:41:33.170 and now with progress towards ending the military hostility 00:41:33.170 --> 00:41:34.050 between the two countries. 00:41:34.050 --> 00:41:36.580 But, I mean, a point I really want to make is, 00:41:36.580 --> 00:41:40.040 you know, with this thing about the family remains, 00:41:40.040 --> 00:41:43.110 I mean, that is going to take enormous coordination. 00:41:43.110 --> 00:41:46.780 And so I think one of the key things that could happen is, 00:41:46.780 --> 00:41:48.780 to facilitate that process, 00:41:48.780 --> 00:41:50.820 there could be a diplomatic mission, 00:41:50.820 --> 00:41:53.100 a U.S. Embassy, opened in Pyongyang. 00:41:53.100 --> 00:41:55.020 I think that would be a huge 00:41:55.600 --> 00:41:57.990 and an important and meaningful first step 00:41:58.570 --> 00:42:02.020 to achieve all the other aims of that statement. 00:42:02.020 --> 00:42:02.870 AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to take a break, 00:42:02.870 --> 00:42:04.320 then come back to this discussion. 00:42:04.320 --> 00:42:06.760 We’ll also be joined by University of Chicago professor 00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:09.570 Bruce Cumings and Congressmember Ro Khanna, 00:42:09.570 --> 00:42:12.630 who’s taking on his own party when it comes to, 00:42:12.630 --> 00:42:14.870 well, if not their opposition, 00:42:17.270 --> 00:42:20.960 their very lukewarm support of this summit. 00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:22.960 Stay with us. 00:43:33.860 --> 00:43:36.230 AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, 00:43:36.230 --> 00:43:37.180 The War and Peace Report. 00:43:37.180 --> 00:43:39.000 I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. 00:43:39.650 --> 00:43:41.670 We are now joined by Bruce Cumings, 00:43:41.670 --> 00:43:43.680 professor of history at University of Chicago, 00:43:43.680 --> 00:43:46.380 author of a number of books on Korea, Korea’s Place in the Sun: 00:43:46.380 --> 00:43:48.920 A Modern History, North Korea: Another Country. 00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:52.720 So, you have been following Korea for decades. 00:43:52.720 --> 00:43:55.950 Talk about the statement that was signed today, 00:43:57.230 --> 00:43:59.870 what you were most surprised by. 00:43:59.870 --> 00:44:03.210 And is this actually continuation of the past 00:44:03.210 --> 00:44:05.830 or the first real break with the past, 00:44:05.830 --> 00:44:08.270 Professor Cumings? 00:44:08.270 --> 00:44:10.950 BRUCE CUMINGS: Well, I think the first principle 00:44:10.950 --> 00:44:12.180 about a new relationship 00:44:12.870 --> 00:44:15.890 between North Korea and the U.S. is very important. 00:44:16.430 --> 00:44:18.690 It’s a recognition of the DPRK. 00:44:20.580 --> 00:44:22.900 The U.S., 72 years ago, 00:44:22.900 --> 00:44:25.130 refused to recognize Kim Il-sung’s 00:44:25.130 --> 00:44:28.220 rise to power in February 1946. 00:44:28.220 --> 00:44:31.080 That was his effective rise to central power. 00:44:31.080 --> 00:44:33.970 The U.S. denounced it as a Soviet ploy. 00:44:34.670 --> 00:44:35.990 And ever since, the U.S. 00:44:35.990 --> 00:44:38.790 has refused to recognize North Korea. 00:44:39.390 --> 00:44:41.070 North Korea has an ideology 00:44:41.070 --> 00:44:45.310 that is pinned on projecting its own dignity 00:44:46.400 --> 00:44:48.600 and wanting respect from other countries. 00:44:48.600 --> 00:44:51.990 So I think that the first principle of that statement 00:44:51.990 --> 00:44:54.770 is a very important one, if it’s implemented. 00:44:55.580 --> 00:45:01.010 Second, you know, Donald Trump has this kind of innocence. 00:45:01.010 --> 00:45:03.730 He looks at the Korean problem with innocent eyes. 00:45:04.430 --> 00:45:05.910 He says that it’s ridiculous 00:45:05.910 --> 00:45:07.930 that there hasn’t been a peace treaty signed, 00:45:10.100 --> 00:45:13.250 you know, shortly after the war ended in 1953 00:45:13.250 --> 00:45:16.050 or sometime in the last 60 years. 00:45:16.050 --> 00:45:18.540 And he’s right about that. 00:45:18.540 --> 00:45:20.540 But I agree with Tim Shorrock 00:45:20.540 --> 00:45:24.140 that the most stunning thing was for him 00:45:24.140 --> 00:45:26.820 to talk about the war exercises being provocative, 00:45:28.330 --> 00:45:31.530 not to mention stopping them or at least suspending them. 00:45:32.450 --> 00:45:34.530 When Barack Obama was president 00:45:34.530 --> 00:45:36.770 and there was a particular crisis 00:45:36.770 --> 00:45:39.940 involving North Korean missile or bomb tests, 00:45:39.940 --> 00:45:42.290 he would send nuclear-capable bombers 00:45:42.290 --> 00:45:45.490 to drop dummy atomic bombs on Korean islands. 00:45:46.810 --> 00:45:51.170 As Tim said, the war games often involved attempts to knock 00:45:51.170 --> 00:45:52.710 over the North Korean regime, 00:45:53.720 --> 00:45:56.870 plans to send the Marines in at the port of Wonsan 00:45:56.870 --> 00:46:00.700 to march on Pyongyang in the early stages of a war 00:46:01.420 --> 00:46:04.870 and the use of nuclear weapons in the Korean theater. 00:46:04.870 --> 00:46:08.160 So, I think it was very important 00:46:09.670 --> 00:46:11.270 that these war games were canceled. 00:46:11.270 --> 00:46:14.340 But it’s also quite revealing of somebody 00:46:14.340 --> 00:46:17.160 who doesn’t know a whole lot about the situation—namely, 00:46:17.160 --> 00:46:19.170 Donald Trump—looking at the situation 00:46:19.170 --> 00:46:21.940 and saying, "Wait a minute, this is not only expensive, 00:46:21.940 --> 00:46:24.160 but it’s also very provocative." 00:46:25.720 --> 00:46:30.540 I also agree with Christine that the theatrics of the summit 00:46:30.540 --> 00:46:34.350 were very important to see the DPRK flag 00:46:34.910 --> 00:46:37.060 right next to the American flag, 00:46:37.930 --> 00:46:41.080 to hear Donald Trump describe North Korea’s leader 00:46:42.330 --> 00:46:46.490 as a smart man, a great man, all of this. 00:46:46.490 --> 00:46:50.190 I know there are all sorts of detractors in the United States 00:46:51.110 --> 00:46:52.820 for Trump’s statements like that, 00:46:52.820 --> 00:46:56.540 but he clearly is a person who believes in hands-on, 00:46:56.540 --> 00:46:58.940 getting-to-know-you relationships. 00:46:58.940 --> 00:47:00.820 And this seems to have worked out well. 00:47:01.790 --> 00:47:03.490 JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Bruce Cumings, I wanted to ask you, 00:47:03.490 --> 00:47:06.370 for a lot of our viewers and listeners 00:47:06.370 --> 00:47:10.560 who don’t know the history of this relationship, 00:47:11.090 --> 00:47:14.040 could you talk some about the level of destruction 00:47:14.040 --> 00:47:17.570 that the United States visited on North Korea 00:47:17.570 --> 00:47:20.030 during the Korean War and also why, 00:47:20.790 --> 00:47:23.280 in the face of all the changes that have occurred 00:47:23.280 --> 00:47:26.110 in Asia—normalization of relations with China, 00:47:26.110 --> 00:47:29.190 normalization with Vietnam—why Korea 00:47:29.190 --> 00:47:32.250 remained as this one area 00:47:32.250 --> 00:47:36.890 where the United States held onto the Cold War, in a sense? 00:47:37.940 --> 00:47:39.310 BRUCE CUMINGS: Well, to take the second question 00:47:39.310 --> 00:47:41.230 first—it’s an easy question 00:47:41.230 --> 00:47:44.260 to answer—you have to have a South Korean government 00:47:44.260 --> 00:47:47.220 that wants better relations with the North 00:47:47.220 --> 00:47:51.330 and better relations between Pyongyang and Washington. 00:47:51.850 --> 00:47:53.710 And we didn’t have that for nine years. 00:47:54.720 --> 00:47:58.390 But when President Moon Jae-in came in, 00:47:59.140 --> 00:48:02.230 he immediately said he was going to engage with North Korea. 00:48:02.910 --> 00:48:05.120 And as Christine mentioned, 00:48:05.120 --> 00:48:08.200 he’s been really a very important guiding hand 00:48:08.200 --> 00:48:11.070 in bringing the U.S. and North Korea together. 00:48:11.620 --> 00:48:14.390 So, in that context of a receptive 00:48:14.390 --> 00:48:15.580 South Korean president, 00:48:15.580 --> 00:48:18.900 which you often don’t have and often had not had, 00:48:21.230 --> 00:48:23.840 things are moving forward, not for the first time, 00:48:23.840 --> 00:48:25.540 because this happened back in the '90s 00:48:26.450 --> 00:48:27.880 when Kim Dae-jung came to power 00:48:27.880 --> 00:48:30.760 and was also an engager with North Korea. 00:48:31.320 --> 00:48:33.680 But Moon Jae-in is very experienced. 00:48:33.680 --> 00:48:36.190 He was chief of staff to Roh Moo-hyun, 00:48:36.190 --> 00:48:37.580 another progressive president. 00:48:38.690 --> 00:48:40.470 He knows what he's doing. 00:48:40.470 --> 00:48:43.820 And so I think that is the primary reason 00:48:43.820 --> 00:48:45.050 that the U.S. is now 00:48:45.050 --> 00:48:48.020 in an engagement process with North Korea. 00:48:48.740 --> 00:48:53.410 What every North Korean knows is that a family member 00:48:53.410 --> 00:48:54.890 was killed during the Korean War, 00:48:54.890 --> 00:48:57.430 and usually by incendiary bombing 00:48:57.430 --> 00:49:00.770 that the U.S. carried out with no limits. 00:49:01.750 --> 00:49:04.020 Basically, the apparatus of firebombing 00:49:04.020 --> 00:49:05.730 that was used to level German 00:49:05.730 --> 00:49:07.690 and Japanese cities during World War II 00:49:07.690 --> 00:49:11.410 was redirected to North Korea, 00:49:11.410 --> 00:49:15.930 which had 15 or 16 cities of modest size, 00:49:16.800 --> 00:49:19.570 and they were all just wiped off the face of the Earth. 00:49:20.400 --> 00:49:22.730 Official U.S. Air Force statistics show 00:49:22.730 --> 00:49:25.190 that the percentage of destruction, 00:49:25.190 --> 00:49:26.540 sometimes 100 percent, 00:49:27.050 --> 00:49:29.220 in North Korean cities was higher, 00:49:29.220 --> 00:49:31.480 on average, than the percentage of destruction 00:49:31.480 --> 00:49:34.600 in Germany and Japan during World War II. 00:49:34.600 --> 00:49:37.220 Plus, napalm was splashed all over the place. 00:49:38.400 --> 00:49:42.080 Churchill even had to send a cable to Eisenhower 00:49:42.080 --> 00:49:44.410 in 1953 saying, 00:49:44.410 --> 00:49:47.140 essentially, "When we invented napalm, we had no idea 00:49:47.140 --> 00:49:49.890 it was going to be splashed all over civilians." 00:49:51.060 --> 00:49:54.050 Historians estimate that about 70 percent of the casualties 00:49:54.050 --> 00:49:56.280 in the Korean War were civilian, 00:49:56.280 --> 00:49:58.970 compared to about 40 percent in Vietnam. 00:49:58.970 --> 00:50:00.870 So, it was, as President Trump said, 00:50:00.870 --> 00:50:03.200 a very, very destructive war. 00:50:03.200 --> 00:50:06.320 And every North Korean knows all about it. 00:50:07.530 --> 00:50:10.010 AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to read from a letter issued 00:50:10.010 --> 00:50:12.900 by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer 00:50:12.900 --> 00:50:15.690 and other top Democrats last week, 00:50:15.690 --> 00:50:19.190 threatening to maintain or even strengthen sanctions 00:50:19.190 --> 00:50:20.870 against North Korea if President Trump 00:50:20.870 --> 00:50:23.430 doesn’t ensure the country completely dismantles 00:50:23.430 --> 00:50:26.320 all its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. 00:50:26.320 --> 00:50:30.470 The letter reads, quote, "Sanctions relief by the U.S. 00:50:30.470 --> 00:50:34.320 and our allies should be dependent on dismantlement 00:50:34.320 --> 00:50:37.110 and removal of North Korea’s nuclear weapons 00:50:37.110 --> 00:50:39.110 and ballistic missile programs. 00:50:39.110 --> 00:50:41.940 Any deal that explicitly or implicitly 00:50:41.940 --> 00:50:44.540 gives North Korea sanctions relief for anything 00:50:44.540 --> 00:50:48.450 other than the verifiable performance of its obligations 00:50:48.450 --> 00:50:53.360 to dismantle its nuclear and missile arsenal is a bad deal," 00:50:53.360 --> 00:50:54.630 Schumer wrote. 00:50:54.630 --> 00:50:57.090 But progressives have blasted the letter 00:50:57.090 --> 00:50:58.560 for its hardline stance. 00:50:58.560 --> 00:51:00.720 Fifteen Democratic congressmembers, 00:51:00.720 --> 00:51:03.750 including California Congressmember Ro Khanna, 00:51:04.320 --> 00:51:06.380 penned a letter to President Trump, writing, 00:51:06.380 --> 00:51:08.910 "diplomacy is the only path to resolve 00:51:08.910 --> 00:51:10.720 the tensions between our countries." 00:51:11.330 --> 00:51:14.210 Congressmember Ro Khanna joins us now from Washington, 00:51:14.210 --> 00:51:15.600 D.C. 00:51:15.600 --> 00:51:18.120 Congressmember Khanna, welcome to Democracy Now! 00:51:18.120 --> 00:51:21.250 Your response to what’s happened today in Singapore 00:51:22.070 --> 00:51:24.680 and to your own party? 00:51:24.680 --> 00:51:28.890 And do you think it will try to—it will oppose 00:51:28.890 --> 00:51:30.560 what President Trump is doing here? 00:51:32.740 --> 00:51:34.870 REP. RO KHANNA: I agree with Christine and Professor Cumings: 00:51:34.870 --> 00:51:37.180 This is a very constructive step. 00:51:37.180 --> 00:51:39.500 Imagine if it weren’t Donald Trump there, 00:51:39.500 --> 00:51:41.230 but if it were Barack Obama 00:51:41.230 --> 00:51:43.810 there having that kind of breakthrough. 00:51:44.310 --> 00:51:46.140 I think there would be a reaction 00:51:46.140 --> 00:51:50.070 from almost every progressive Democrat cheering that on. 00:51:50.070 --> 00:51:51.980 And Professor Cummings is right. 00:51:51.980 --> 00:51:54.410 Barack Obama didn’t have President Moon 00:51:54.410 --> 00:51:56.650 as a partner to achieve this. 00:51:56.650 --> 00:52:01.080 President Moon has really set the foundation for engagement. 00:52:01.080 --> 00:52:03.740 And Donald Trump, to his credit, in this instance, 00:52:04.250 --> 00:52:05.800 has taken that opportunity. 00:52:06.340 --> 00:52:09.390 My disagreement with Senator Schumer in that letter 00:52:09.390 --> 00:52:11.280 is that’s basically parroting 00:52:11.280 --> 00:52:13.920 the talking points of John Bolton, 00:52:13.920 --> 00:52:18.070 saying that we should not engage in any diplomacy 00:52:18.070 --> 00:52:22.790 or make any concessions without complete denuclearization. 00:52:22.790 --> 00:52:24.340 That’s just not realistic. 00:52:24.340 --> 00:52:26.430 A far more realistic framework 00:52:26.430 --> 00:52:29.400 is what Bill Perry has advocated in the 1990s 00:52:29.400 --> 00:52:32.100 and worked on, which is an incremental approach, 00:52:32.100 --> 00:52:35.690 where we need to look at our joint military exercises, 00:52:35.690 --> 00:52:37.370 as the president has, 00:52:37.370 --> 00:52:41.880 where we need to ask for the cessation of testing, 00:52:42.500 --> 00:52:45.150 and make concessions on an incremental basis. 00:52:45.150 --> 00:52:48.030 And that’s what I think has begun with this process. 00:52:48.890 --> 00:52:50.180 JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And is your sense that, 00:52:50.180 --> 00:52:51.800 within the Democratic Party, 00:52:51.800 --> 00:52:55.930 that this debate will expand between this hawkish view 00:52:55.930 --> 00:52:59.790 of how to deal with negotiations with North Korea 00:52:59.790 --> 00:53:01.850 versus those in the Democratic Party 00:53:01.850 --> 00:53:03.310 that see, as you do, 00:53:03.860 --> 00:53:05.870 the importance of pursuing diplomacy? 00:53:08.440 --> 00:53:09.210 REP. RO KHANNA: Well, my view is, 00:53:09.210 --> 00:53:11.390 I think the American people are going to view 00:53:11.390 --> 00:53:14.620 this as a constructive step and a success. 00:53:14.620 --> 00:53:18.500 And so I think the Democrats risk looking like 00:53:18.500 --> 00:53:20.460 we’re being excessively partisan 00:53:20.960 --> 00:53:23.350 by attacking the president from the right. 00:53:24.020 --> 00:53:27.760 So I’m hopeful that more and more Democrats will speak out. 00:53:27.760 --> 00:53:30.500 It’s fine to criticize the president on saying 00:53:30.500 --> 00:53:32.140 he could have been more prepared, 00:53:32.140 --> 00:53:34.790 he could have had more experts in the room, 00:53:34.790 --> 00:53:38.250 there should have been greater preparation before his summit. 00:53:38.250 --> 00:53:40.530 No one is saying that Donald Trump 00:53:40.530 --> 00:53:41.780 has handled this perfectly. 00:53:41.780 --> 00:53:44.390 And would I rather have Barack Obama 00:53:44.390 --> 00:53:46.300 been the representative for the United States, 00:53:46.300 --> 00:53:48.180 or Bill Clinton? Absolutely. 00:53:48.180 --> 00:53:51.940 Would I rather Bill Perry had been accompanying the president 00:53:51.940 --> 00:53:54.830 than Mike Pompeo and John Bolton? Yes. 00:53:54.830 --> 00:53:57.350 But the reality is, this is the leadership, 00:53:57.350 --> 00:54:00.020 and Democrats are going to have to basically choose: 00:54:00.020 --> 00:54:02.320 Do we want to encourage John Bolton 00:54:02.320 --> 00:54:03.880 and a neoconservative view, 00:54:03.880 --> 00:54:06.220 or do we want to encourage the president’s instincts 00:54:06.220 --> 00:54:09.720 to follow what George Shultz and Bill Perry have recommended, 00:54:09.720 --> 00:54:12.570 a framework towards negotiation and peace, 00:54:12.570 --> 00:54:14.710 and criticize it where we don’t think it’s perfect? 00:54:14.710 --> 00:54:18.200 I think I’m quite confident that most Democrats, 00:54:18.200 --> 00:54:19.740 at least in the House, 00:54:19.740 --> 00:54:22.150 will choose the engagement approach. 00:54:22.150 --> 00:54:24.020 AMY GOODMAN: South Carolina Republican Senator 00:54:24.020 --> 00:54:24.710 Lindsey Graham 00:54:24.710 --> 00:54:27.200 responded to the letter penned by Senator Schumer 00:54:27.200 --> 00:54:29.430 and other top Democrats by asking them to agree 00:54:29.430 --> 00:54:32.360 to authorize military force against North Korea. 00:54:32.360 --> 00:54:35.300 Here’s Graham speaking on NBC—on ABC. 00:54:35.300 --> 00:54:37.070 SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM: [I wish they had] sent such 00:54:37.070 --> 00:54:39.470 a deal—a letter to President Obama 00:54:39.470 --> 00:54:41.700 regarding the Iranian nuclear efforts, 00:54:41.700 --> 00:54:43.790 but I embrace this letter. 00:54:43.790 --> 00:54:46.180 It is a very tough thing to accomplish. 00:54:46.180 --> 00:54:48.770 But here’s what I would say to my Democratic colleagues: 00:54:48.770 --> 00:54:50.460 I appreciate you telling the president 00:54:50.460 --> 00:54:51.750 what a good deal would look like, 00:54:52.250 --> 00:54:54.630 but the country needs you to back the president 00:54:54.630 --> 00:54:55.950 up to get that deal. 00:54:55.950 --> 00:54:58.540 So here’s the question for my Democratic colleagues: 00:54:58.540 --> 00:55:01.820 If diplomacy fails, will you support my efforts 00:55:01.820 --> 00:55:04.100 to authorize the use of military force, 00:55:04.100 --> 00:55:05.550 as a last resort, 00:55:05.550 --> 00:55:07.290 to convince North Korea and China 00:55:07.290 --> 00:55:09.290 things are going to be different this time? 00:55:09.290 --> 00:55:12.210 A bipartisan AUMF would really 00:55:12.210 --> 00:55:14.830 make that letter much more credible. 00:55:14.830 --> 00:55:17.420 And if diplomacy fails, as a last result, 00:55:18.520 --> 00:55:19.830 Democrats and Republicans 00:55:19.830 --> 00:55:22.050 need to put the military option on the table, 00:55:22.050 --> 00:55:23.700 or we’ll never get a good deal. 00:55:23.700 --> 00:55:25.910 AMY GOODMAN: That’s Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. 00:55:25.910 --> 00:55:27.530 Bruce Cumings, can you respond 00:55:27.530 --> 00:55:30.090 to the significance of what he is suggesting? 00:55:31.430 --> 00:55:33.790 BRUCE CUMINGS: Well, I mean, he seems to think he’s a cutout 00:55:33.790 --> 00:55:35.020 for the hardliners 00:55:35.020 --> 00:55:38.560 in the Trump administration, like John Bolton. 00:55:39.760 --> 00:55:41.970 But to take this particular moment, 00:55:42.530 --> 00:55:44.970 when, for the first time in a long time, 00:55:44.970 --> 00:55:47.610 there’s a thaw between Pyongyang and Washington, 00:55:48.110 --> 00:55:49.930 and to talk about going to war 00:55:49.930 --> 00:55:54.380 if this thaw doesn’t work is just reprehensible. 00:55:55.060 --> 00:55:57.840 First of all, there isn’t any military solution 00:55:57.840 --> 00:55:58.990 on the Korean Peninsula. 00:55:58.990 --> 00:56:01.650 We should have learned that in 1953, 00:56:01.650 --> 00:56:03.480 when we were fought to a standstill 00:56:04.370 --> 00:56:05.900 by rough peasant armies. 00:56:06.770 --> 00:56:10.170 And it certainly isn’t today, almost 70 years later, 00:56:10.170 --> 00:56:11.820 when North Korea has built itself 00:56:11.820 --> 00:56:14.870 into a basically impregnable fortress, 00:56:14.870 --> 00:56:17.610 with 15,000 underground facilities 00:56:17.610 --> 00:56:19.450 of a national security nature, 00:56:19.450 --> 00:56:22.790 all kinds of conventional weapons trained on Seoul, 00:56:23.420 --> 00:56:28.490 not to mention a complete nuclear and ICBM inventory, 00:56:29.180 --> 00:56:30.920 tested last fall. 00:56:30.920 --> 00:56:34.840 So, I don’t know really what he’s talking about. 00:56:34.840 --> 00:56:37.230 I suppose he wants to come off as a hardliner, 00:56:37.230 --> 00:56:39.680 but it’s very irresponsible at this time. 00:56:40.430 --> 00:56:42.410 AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to go back to President Trump, 00:56:42.410 --> 00:56:44.630 speaking at his news conference today 00:56:44.630 --> 00:56:46.110 about the future of North Korea. 00:56:46.930 --> 00:56:47.580 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: As an example, 00:56:47.580 --> 00:56:49.920 they have great beaches. 00:56:49.920 --> 00:56:52.000 You see that whenever they’re exploding their cannons 00:56:52.000 --> 00:56:53.390 into the ocean, right? 00:56:53.390 --> 00:56:54.570 So I said, "Boy, look at that beach. 00:56:54.570 --> 00:56:57.810 Wouldn’t that make a great condo behind?" And I explain. 00:56:57.810 --> 00:56:59.300 I said, "You know, instead of doing that, 00:56:59.300 --> 00:57:01.750 you could have the best hotels in the world right there." 00:57:02.310 --> 00:57:04.500 Think of it from a real estate perspective. 00:57:04.500 --> 00:57:06.480 You have South Korea, you have China, 00:57:06.480 --> 00:57:07.970 and they own the land in the middle. 00:57:07.970 --> 00:57:09.810 How bad is that, right? It’s great. 00:57:10.650 --> 00:57:12.420 AMY GOODMAN: Well, Christine Ahn, 00:57:12.940 --> 00:57:14.400 what about President Trump 00:57:14.400 --> 00:57:16.770 maybe building a hotel in North Korea? 00:57:18.530 --> 00:57:21.280 CHRISTINE AHN: Well, I’d say that’s a little too soon. 00:57:22.190 --> 00:57:24.230 But I would say that, in this moment, 00:57:24.230 --> 00:57:28.080 what is going to be the most important thing to watch 00:57:28.080 --> 00:57:32.600 is the relations between Moon and Kim. 00:57:32.600 --> 00:57:35.790 We know that there is already discussion 00:57:35.790 --> 00:57:37.940 about linking the rails 00:57:37.940 --> 00:57:40.310 that were built during the Sunshine Policy 00:57:40.310 --> 00:57:42.970 era between North and South Korea. 00:57:43.470 --> 00:57:47.260 We know that South Korean small businesses and capitalists 00:57:47.260 --> 00:57:50.980 are hoping to relieve some of the sanctions 00:57:50.980 --> 00:57:53.070 to have investments in North Korea. 00:57:53.950 --> 00:57:56.120 But the most important, you know, 00:57:56.120 --> 00:57:59.160 moment is the inter-Korean progress, 00:57:59.160 --> 00:58:01.290 and that’s going to be the greatest assurance 00:58:01.290 --> 00:58:03.820 that there won’t be a new Korean War, 00:58:03.820 --> 00:58:06.620 that the Lindsey Grahams won’t have their moment, 00:58:06.620 --> 00:58:08.740 in this moment where peace is in the air. 00:58:08.740 --> 00:58:10.850 And I think it was great that Trump said 00:58:11.430 --> 00:58:13.240 in his press conference that, 00:58:13.240 --> 00:58:16.830 you know, whatever peace agreement is negotiated 00:58:17.600 --> 00:58:20.060 will include South Korea and China. 00:58:20.920 --> 00:58:23.970 This is obviously conflict that would devastate 00:58:23.970 --> 00:58:27.270 not just the Korean Peninsula, but the entire region. 00:58:27.270 --> 00:58:31.350 So, peace is in the air, and we have a lot of work to do, 00:58:31.350 --> 00:58:33.820 especially as a peace movement in this country. 00:58:33.820 --> 00:58:35.310 AMY GOODMAN: We want to thank you all for being with us, 00:58:35.310 --> 00:58:37.960 Christine Ahn, founder of Women Cross DMZ; 00:58:37.960 --> 00:58:40.830 professor Bruce Cumings of University of Chicago; 00:58:40.830 --> 00:58:42.910 and Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna. 00:58:42.910 --> 00:58:45.120 We’ll do Part 2 with Congressmember Khanna 00:58:45.120 --> 00:58:48.970 about Yemen and the possibility the U.S. will expand 00:58:48.970 --> 00:58:51.720 and support the expanded war in Yemen.