North Korea Nudges Trump for More Concessions by the End of the Year

Kim Jong Un warned President Trump yesterday that he expected the United States to become more "flexible" in negotiations concerning North Korea's nuclear weapons program and international sanctions on his regime.

Reuters: “We will wait for a bold decision from the U.S. with patience till the end of this year but I think it will definitely be difficult to get such a good opportunity as the previous summit,” Kim added."

Kim didn't say what actions he might take if Trump didn't offer more concessions in future negotiations, but he knows that a resumption of missile testing would embarrass the President.

Reuters: "Last month, a senior North Korean official warned that Kim might rethink a moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests in place since 2017 unless Washington makes concessions such as easing sanctions."

The tests themselves would have little strategic value for Kim, but he realizes that President Trump's reputation as a "deal-maker" would suffer as a result. And, the N. Korean leader understands that Trump could ill afford such a foreign policy set-back just as the 2020 election is beginning in earnest.

President Trump has put himself in a position to be rolled by Kim who always understood he was holding the better hand.

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