President Donald Trump Walks Away from Negotiations with North Korea

Patrick Kissel, Reporter

President Donald Trump and his team of negotiators walked away from a negotiation with the leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un after the negotiations broke down over the withdrawal of sanctions. The meeting was held in Hanoi on February 27 and 28 as a follow up meeting from the original in Singapore between the two leaders.

“I like that he is making steps to stop North Korea from making more nukes but I am not sure if walking away was the best idea,” freshman Marshall Wiater said.

Trump claimed in a press conference after the meeting that the American delegation backed away from negotiations when Jong-un wanted the lifting of all sanctions in exchange for the dismantling of the Yongbyon nuclear complex.

“I feel that it was good, because if there was not a good deal it is better to walk away and wait to get s better one,” freshman Gavin Schaefer said.

The Yongbyon facility is the only known facility in North Korea capable of producing nuclear weapons, and has played a central role in recent negotiations between the two countries. According to Reuters, North Korean officials at Hanoi offered to dismantle the facility and all for observers to ensure it’s dismantled into the country. According to the Atlantic, the United States claims that there are numerous other undetected facilities that would have to be dismantled in order for sanctions to be lifted.

“I think the interactions Donald Trump has with North Korea is a good idea. We’ve got this far without getting bombed because of him,” junior Ivey Haskell said.

Information on the Yongbyon facility is not certain, as the only means for the facility to be observed is through aerial photographs, according to Reuters. There is a facility at Yongbyon for the enrichment of uranium, as well as numerous reactors capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium.

“I believe he should have stayed and tried to reach an agreement with Kim Jong-un,” sophomore Colin Eilerling said.

Numerous White House officials, including national security advisor John Bolton had advised the president not to go ahead with the meeting, and that the ability of complete nuclear disarmament being negotiated was near zero. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also advised this, and said after the meeting that the deal offered by North Korea left much to be desired, according to the Washington Post.