South Koreans skeptical about peace after summit

Citizens watch a live broadcast of the North Korea-U.S. summit in Singapore, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

South Koreans of different age groups expressed mixed feelings about the prospect of peace on the Korean peninsula following the summit between the United States and North Korea.

Many said they welcomed the U.S. and North Korea moving to narrow their differences, but remained cautious and skeptical.

“I was not entirely optimistic about the summit because it almost got canceled once,” said Yoon Yong-jin, 20, a university student.

The summit between the U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had been canceled once. On May 24, North Korea began demolishing its Punggye-ri nuclear test site. Trump, however, said on June 2 that the U.S.-North Korea summit would be back on track following the two Koreas’ surprise summit on May 26.

Young men watched the Trump-Kim summit with heightened anticipation.

“I feel safer amid the recent progress towards peace with North Korea,” said a man, 21, who just started his military service this year and was out on vacation, at Seoul Station.

“Decreasing provocations by North Korea will mean less emergency situations and drills for soldiers like me.”

Young jobseekers, however, said their hard-pressed situations made it hard to be optimistic about the summit.

“Honestly, I am more concerned about my situation of finding a job than what’s happening with the North,” said Kim Hee-min, 24.

“All I know is that Kim Jong-un is unreliable. I don’t understand why people suddenly feel positive toward Kim following his media exposure via the two Koreas’ summit. After all, he assassinated his relative.”

The older generation expressed a wish for unification.

At the same time, they seemed less rosy about Washington and Seoul’s future relationship with Pyongyang, due to a distrust of the North Korean regime and President Moon Jae-in’s liberal administration.

“It’s too early to trust North Korea,” said Shin Hyun-song, 63. “The summit results are important, but the problem will not be resolved in a day.”

She added the North had tricked the world too many times over the years.

“Seeing the two meet gives me hope that there will be no more conflict,” said a man, 85, who was watching the live broadcast of the Trump-Kim summit at Seoul Station.

“However, it does not make sense that the U.S.-North Korea or South-North summit could take place when two former South Korea presidents are still behind bars,” he added, showing support for former presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung bak.

Source:koreatimes.co.kr