WATCH: Trump supporters demand Nobel Peace Prize for US President as North Korea makes new concession
US president hailed as peacemaker as North Korea makes more nuclear concessions.
Donald Trump was hailed by his supporters for his leading role in the rapid movement towards a potential peace on the Korean Peninsula, at a rally in Washington, Michigan, on Saturday night.
As the US president discussed the imminent, historic peace talks planned with the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reputed chants of "Nobel, Nobel, Nobel" erupted from the crowd. A smiling Trump flashed a thumbs up and replied: "We just want to get the job done....We'll be doing the world a big favour."
Meanwhile, the North Korean leader has vowed to shut down his country's nuclear test site in May and disclose the process to experts and journalists from South Korea and the United States, Seoul's presidential office said Sunday.
Kim also told South Korean President Moon Jae-in during their historic summit on Friday that the North would have no need to keep nuclear weapons if Washington commits to formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War and signs a non-aggression pact with Pyongyang, the presidential Blue House said.
While there are lingering questions about whether North Korea will ever decide to fully relinquish its nukes as it heads into negotiations with the United States, Kim's comments qualify as the North's most specific acknowledgement yet that denuclearization would constitute surrendering its weapons.
Seoul, which shuttled between Pyongyang and Washington to broker talks between Kim and President Donald Trump that are expected in May or June, has said Kim has expressed genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons. But there has been skepticism because North Korea for decades has been pushing a concept of "denuclearization" that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to pursue nuclear development unless Washington removes its troops and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan.
The closure of the nuclear test site would be a dramatic but likely symbolic event to set up Kim's summit with Trump. North Korea already announced this month that it has suspended all tests of nuclear devices and intercontinental ballistic missiles and plans to close its nuclear testing ground.
During their summit at a border truce village, Moon and Kim promised to work toward the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula, but made no references to verification or timetables.
Kim also expressed optimism about his meeting with Trump, saying the president will learn he's not one to fire missiles toward the United States, Moon's spokesman Yoon Young-chan said.
"Once we start talking, the United States will know that I am not a person to launch nuclear weapons at South Korea, the Pacific or the United States," Kim said, according to Yoon.
"If we maintain frequent meetings and build trust with the United States and receive promises for an end to the war and a non-aggression treaty, then why would we need to live in difficulty by keeping our nuclear weapons?" Yoon quoted Kim as saying.
Adam Mount, a senior defense analyst at the Federation of American Scientists, said Kim's comments were significant because they're his most explicit acknowledgement yet that denuclearization means surrendering his nuclear weapons.
"Questions remain about whether Kim will agree to discuss other nuclear technology, fissile material and missiles. However, they imply a phased process with reciprocal concessions," Mount said in an email. "It is not clear that the Trump administration will accept that kind of protracted program."
Yoon said Kim also revealed plans to sync its time zone with South Korea's. The Koreas had used the same time zone for decades before the North created its own "Pyongyang Time" in 2015 by setting the clock 30 minutes behind South Korea and Japan.
Yoon said the North's decision to return to Seoul's time zone was aimed at facilitating communication with South Korea and the United States.
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