DPRK interests vital for peninsula peace

On May 16, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea suddenly threatened to pull out of the planned summit between its leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 12, saying the country has no interest in the summit if it's going to be a one-sided affair where it is pressured to abandon its nuclear program. It also said the United States' military drill "Max Thunder" with the Republic of Korea was a threat to its security.

The international community hoped for the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula after the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula was inked by Kim Jong-un and ROK President Moon Jae-in on April 27.

So why did Pyongyang cancel a high-level meeting with Seoul on May 16 and threaten to pull out of the planned summit with the US?