Trump and Kim to Meet at Panmunjom

As the day of the most talked meeting between the US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un is drawing close, the venue of the meeting seems to be very important as the most dreaded enemies are meeting for the first time. After a series of discussion for a suitable venue at the bureaucratic level, finally, sources have confirmed that Kim has agreed to meet at the venue suggested by Trump and that is at the Demilitarised Zone between the North and South Korea. The meeting is expected to take place in the last week of May.

It is the same location in Panmunjom, where the historic meeting of the North and South Korean leaders took place a few days back, where both the countries consented on various agreements followed by North Korea’s promise to denuclearization its nuclear establishments and the end of the Korean War.

The summit between the US and North Korea is going to be held at Panmunjom, which is on the north side of the military border which separates the two Korea’s, South and North. The venue is also convenient for Kim logistically too because the media facilities and equipment are already in place because of the previous meeting.

The decision for the selection of venue did not come as a surprise as the discussion regarding the venue was on since Trump agreed to meet Kim, in the month of March. Trump has suggested his preference for the venue during his talks with South Korean leader Moon, while acknowledging that he loved the images of the Korean summit between the North and South Korean leader, which was live on media across.

He also said that he would love to hold his summit with Kim in the Demilitarised Zone in the same fashion as done by South and North Korea. “There's something I like about it, because you're there, if things work out, there's a great celebration to be had on the site, not in a third party country”, Trump said.

According to sources in White House, the US President also wants to be involved in the meeting in similar fashion with widespread media coverage worldwide. The world to witness, while he becomes the first sitting US President to meet the North Korean leader.

Though inside his administration, officials are skeptical about holding the meeting at the Demilitarised Zone for safety reason. That’s why officials also are arguing Singapore as an alternative venue for the historic summit. As the city is also regarded as the gateway between Asia and the West.

Singapore is also a close ally of United States during the Cold War and also has a diplomatic relationship with North Korea. It is one of only 47 countries to have its presence in North Korea through an embassy. In the past Singapore has also hosted some significant historical events, such as in 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the then President of Taiwan Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore, it was also the first and only time the leaders of the two China met after their split in 1949.

Talks over the summit venue have been going on since Trump agreed in March to meet with Kim. The Freedom House and Peace House are located in a truce village of Panmunjom on the South Korean side of the border is finally emerged as the favorite venue for both Trump and Kim, was also the site to discuss whether North Korea would participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The event, which marks the beginning North Korea and US Summit.