The signing of a joint document between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader KimJong-un is the seal of a new peace process for the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula. At the center of the talks, the issue of Pyongyang's denuclearization, which Trump has announced will begin "very, very quickly". The talks took place on the island of Sentosa, the culmination of months of insults, tears, threats and rapprochements between the two leaders. The summit started on time, shortly after 9am in Singapore, with the handshake lasting 12 seconds against the blue-red background of the American and North Korean flags. This was followed by the two-way meeting with the presence of translators only, which was then joined by various senior officials. Then the business lunch and the signing of the document in front of the media. "We will start the denuclearization process very, very quickly," Trump told reporters. The document envisages four key points: "new relations" between the two countries "to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula". Kim undertakes to reiterate Panmunjon's declaration of April 27, 2018, for a "complete denuclearization of the peninsula", and to return the remains of American soldiers who died in the war in North Korean territory. Additionally, Trump is committed to providing security guarantees to Pyonyang.
The point on denuclearization is the most controversial: the commitment made by Kim when he met the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, is reiterated with a formula that is not exactly precise, which arouses skepticism among observers. The term denuclearization has different meanings for Pyongyang and for Washington: for the first, the renunciation of the atomic bomb must concern the entire Korean peninsula, while the US wants the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" dismantling of Pyongyang's nuclear program.
However, Trump in the press conference following the summit assured that Kim is committed and will act immediately, and that the process will be "verified" with American and international observers. Pyongyang will also destroy a missile test site, the American said, then specifying that the sanctions will remain until the denuclearization is complete and saying that negotiations to implement it will begin immediately. Trump then announced the end of the "war games" in the peninsula, that is, of the joint US-South Korea military exercises, which Pyonyang considers 'war trials'. Trump also described the decision as a way to reduce excessive military spending. "There are about 2 US troops in South Korea who I want to go home but it doesn't happen now, it will happen in the future." The reporters then asked him questions about the human rights situation in North Korea and Trump only replied that the issue is as "tough" as "in various other places", and that the subject has been discussed. "I thank Kim for allowing this meeting" "honest, direct and productive", added Trump, announcing that he had invited the North Korean leader to the White House, who accepted the invitation.