Trump provokes with claim: “Panama, Greenland, Canada are American land”

[Anchor]

U.S. President-elect Trump is also eyeing the Panama Canal following Greenland, which is a territory of Denmark.

He continues to provoke the counterpart country, claiming he wants to regain control over the canal.

Despite the low likelihood of realization, it is analyzed as a strategy to shake the counterpart and enhance negotiation power.

This is Kim Kyung-soo reporting from Washington.

[Report]

Greenland is the largest island in the world located in the Arctic Ocean and has been incorporated into Denmark through colonization.

This is not the first time U.S. President-elect Trump has shown interest in this land, which is rich in underground resources.

[Donald Trump/President-elect of the United States/Aug. 2019: "A lot of thing could be done. It's hurting Denmark very badly because they're losing almost $700 million a year carrying it."]

Trump is once again showing interest ahead of his second inauguration, but the landowner, Denmark, has no intention of negotiating at all.

The situation is similar with Panama.

The Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was built and operated by the United States in the early 20th century, but the U.S. returned the operating rights in 1999. However, President-elect Trump is claiming that the tolls for U.S. ships are excessively high and is demanding a return.

[Donald Trump/President-elect of the United States: "The Panama Canal opened for business 110 years ago, and was built at huge cost to the United States."]

However, realistically, there is no way for the U.S. to regain the operating rights of the Panama Canal.

Previously, including his claim to make Canada the 51st state of the U.S., it is analyzed that Trump's exaggerated threats, despite their low likelihood, are ultimately aimed at maximizing national interests.

He aims to shake the counterpart and enhance negotiation power to gain commercial and security benefits, and to lead neighboring countries to implement measures such as blocking illegal immigrants.

The New York Times also analyzed that President-elect Trump's America First policy evokes memories of past U.S. expansionism and colonialism.

This is Kim Kyung-soo from KBS News in Washington.