US move before Pyongyang meeting raises concerns

The third summit between the leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea is another sign that, despite the apparent diplomatic standstill between Pyongyang and Washington, things remain on track between the Koreas.

As long as this momentum is maintained, hopes for broader detente on the Korean Peninsula will remain high. And if this is the yardstick for assessing the third summit between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, there is little reason for it to not succeed.

Since DPRK leader Kim Jong-un and ROK President Moon Jae-in signed the Panmunjom Joint Declaration on April 27, relations between the Koreas have proceeded generally smoothly according to that script. Moon's ongoing visit to Pyongyang, like his meeting with Kim, is also part of that historic agreement.