Tuesday 12 June 2018

Trump and Kim in Singapore for Historic Summit

The day of one of the most notable meeting of US President Donald Trump and North's leader Kim Jong-un is going to meet at Sentosa, the most iconic island in Singapore. Yes, of all the countries in the world, our little red dot Singapore was selected when it was least expected.


Watching Live broadcast of Trump-Summit from Channel News Asia 
while writing this article.

To be frank, I’m neither a fan of Kim nor Trump. I did curse and swear at Kim not once or twice, but every time I read the news of him pressing the button and activating a nuclear bomb! Wah!!! Really! Crazy, stupid, or impulsive action to threaten or maybe all of them? Sorry for the harsh words but that’s because I really don’t want my beloved second hometown, Korea, to be in a war.

It’s kind of hard for me to convince my sister and friends who wanted to visit Korea in Apr 2017. They kept asking me whether it’s safe to do so especially when I included DMZ on their itinerary for taxi tour.

 View of Geumgangsan Mountain in North Korea.


It inspired me to participate in the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit contest.

Tongil (통일) Unification Village.


Somehow they only visited Goseong Observatory, but not Camp Greaves, filming location of ‘Descendants of the Sun’.  The rising tension from North Korea when they announced that they will test missiles weekly  might be the reason why the Camp Greaves was closed or their taxi driver drove them to wrong location…
 

 Trump and Kim finally meet face to face in front of Capella Hotel, 12 June 2018 at 9am.
Did you notice somehow their flags have similar dominant colors and star(s)?


If you read the comments on the Social media, there are mixed perspectives and reactions about this summit…

“Why Singapore footing a $20m for the summit when Kim can afford to waste so much money in nuclear?!” although Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that this is Singapore's contribution to an international endeavour that is "in our profound interest". "It is a cost we are willing to pay."

“Another Wayang show” (Wayang is derived from the Indonesian shadow puppet show called "wanyang kulit". "Wayang" literally means shadow but is used locally to mean acting or boot-licking).

“I just feel like I can’t trust them…”

Despite some negative comments about the summit, most of the people from all walks of life in Singapore wish that this meeting will truly bring back the peace and reunify Korea.

“Good luck and pray for this historical moment.”, “For world peace, spending $20 million is totally worth it but make it a good outcome guys!”, “ 🌍
 

Couldn’t really hear their conversation because of the annoying camera clicking noises… 


 However, judging from their good handshake and good mood,
the beginning of a good outcome of unity, harmony, prosperity
and peace seems likely!

Personally, I’m glad that they are going to work things out and thankfully they signed on joint efforts to build a “lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula” although not sure how much time is needed to really complete the process of denuclearisation (Complete, Verifiable, Irreversible, and Dismantlement). I hope that both parties are sincere and serious for a better future and that this paves the road for the successful reunification of Korea.

What do you think? Please comment below...