Trust building is still needed for peninsula denuclearization

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wound up a three-day visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on the weekend. The first high-level contact between the United States and the DPRK in the wake of the historic meeting between their two leaders signals the two sides' continuing efforts to resolve their differences and promote the denuclearization process.

Since US President Donald Trump and DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un's summit in Singapore on June 12, there have been high expectations worldwide that the Korean Peninsula issues will be resolved once and for all. However, given the complexity of the situation, there is still a long way to go before that wish can be realized.

That Washington and Pyongyang have aired different views on the outcome of Pompeo's visit is clear proof that the two sides still need more consultations and clarifications so that they, along with other stakeholders in the issue, can dispel mistrust and design a roadmap leading to peace and denuclearization on the peninsula.