INVITATION ON BOTH SIDES

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We reported yesterday that U.S. President Donald Trump invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to visit the White House. But it turns out Kim Jong-un has also invited President Trump to Pyongyang. Attention is now being drawn on whether summit talks will take place at both locations.

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​The demilitarized zone at the inter-Korean border received global attention. When the leaders of the two Koreas and the US faced each other at the DMZ Freedom House ahead of talks between Trump and Kim, camera flashes go off as reporters from across the world capture the historic surprise meeting. At this moment when the three leaders, security personnel and the media were in a chaotic jumble the North Korean leader extends a surprise proposal. He invited Trump to Pyongyang.

[Soundbite] KIM JONG-UN(N. KOREAN LEADER) : "If President Trump visits Pyongyang, it will be an enormous event in the history of global politics and diplomacy."

As soon as Kim uttered those words, his translator conveys the invitation to the American president. Trump did not give an answer right away but he appeared to be listening closely and nodding his head. It was Trump who first offered a surprise invitation.

[Soundbite] U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP : "I am going to invite him right now to the White House."

Kim's invitation was likely a response or a reverse proposal to Trump's earlier invite. The two leaders have exchanged extraordinary proposals. Denuclearization talks are expected to resume between the two sides but whether the invitations to the White House or Pyongyang will actually pan out is very much unclear as there are plenty of hurdles to overcome. If either of the summits can take place whether in Pyongyang or Washington, it will surely go down as a major event in the history of global politics and diplomacy, as Kim had mentioned.