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Sen. King Says North Korean Negotiations Could be a Positive Development

Susan Walsh
/
AP Photo
South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong speaks to reporters at the White House Thursday evening. South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon is at left.

After months of trading insults and threats, President Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by the end of May. U.S. Senator Angus King says that’s a cautiously positive development.

“There is a lot of preparatory work which needs to be done but if we start saying there are conditions, we may not get there and I think that would be a mistake.”

Senator King, an independent from Maine, serves on both the Armed services and Intelligence committees. He has been worried the heated rhetoric between the leaders could escalate into armed conflict. He says the President needs to be careful in any negotiations, pointing out North Korea has for decades made promises that they have not kept. But, King also says the fact that they agreed to talk is a good sign that tensions on the Korean peninsula may be lessening.

“My immediate reaction when I saw the news yesterday was this is a good thing. The leaders are talking. And hopefully it will lead in a positive direction. Now, these things are complicated, There is going to have to be a lot of work done, diplomatic work.”

Journalist Mal Leary spearheads Maine Public's news coverage of politics and government and is based at the State House.