ASIA/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared the ‘opening up of a new future’ for their countries after talks on Tuesday [6-12-18]. But their agreement also raised new and complex questions for Washington’s regional allies, chiefly Japan and South Korea. In a joint statement, Mr. Trump ‘committed to provide security guarantees’ to North Korea, a key subject of concern for the U.S.’s partners and one with potentially far-reaching consequences for Asia’s security landscape. The document didn’t give details of what was promised, but Mr. Trump said in a press conference later that military exercises with South Korea would be cancelled, in a conciliatory move to Pyongyang that breaks with longstanding U.S. policy…South Korea’s defense ministry appeared unaware of Mr. Trump’s decision and on Tuesday said it was still trying to determine the exact meaning of his remarks. Japan’s foreign ministry also said the government was assessing Mr. Trump’s comments.”
-Niharika Mandhana, “Trump’s Approach on North Korea a Test of Ties With Asian Allies,” The Wall Street Journal, June 12, 2018 3:36 pm