President Donald Trump thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Sunday after the country dramatically downplayed its nuclear ambitions during a celebratory military parade.
North Korea staged a military parade focusing on peace and economic development rather than the country’s long-range missile system. Trump took some credit for Kim’s decision to dial down North Korea’s military arsenal during a celebration of the country’s 70th anniversary.
“North Korea has just staged their parade, celebrating 70th anniversary of founding, without the customary display of nuclear missiles,” Trump told his Twitter followers before noting the theme was now aimed at improving the economy.
North Korea has just staged their parade, celebrating 70th anniversary of founding, without the customary display of nuclear missiles. Theme was peace and economic development. “Experts believe that North Korea cut out the nuclear missiles to show President Trump……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2018
“We will both prove everyone wrong!” he added. “There is nothing like good dialogue from two people that like each other! Much better than before I took office.” Trump included a link to a Fox New report suggesting experts believe North Korea cut the display to demonstrate to the president’s Kim’s willingness to denuclearize.
Kim told Chinese parliament chief Li Zhanshu that North Korea is hoping to emulate China’s experience in boosting economic growth, Chinese state television reported Sunday. North Korea typically uses holidays to showcase its military capabilities.
“North Korea upholds the consensus of the Singapore meeting between the leaders of North Korea and the United States and has taken steps for it and hopes the United States takes corresponding steps, to jointly promote the political resolution process for the peninsula issue,” the report paraphrased Kim as saying.
The North Korean leader is insistent on denuclearizing the Korean peninsula within Trump’s first term despite stalled progress on talks with Washington, according to South Korean officials.
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