HANOI, (DNA) –Â North Korean leader Kim Jong Un exuded confidence when he arrived in Vietnam on his heavily armored luxury train Wednesday, ahead of his summit with US President Donald Trump.But as he departed Saturday, waving to crowds before boarding that train empty handed, the cracks in that confidence had been exposed.”(Kim) did not have a backup plan,” a source familiar with the denuclearization talks tells. “He came to Hanoi very confident and fully expecting a declaration to be signed.”
Two officials familiar with the talks agreed to speak with anonymously, because they are not authorized to talk to the press. They describe a North Korean delegation that came into the summit fully expecting they would leave with a deal.
Denuclearization talks essentially ground to a halt within weeks of the June 12 Singapore summit. This time would be different, the North Koreans thought, because they were dealing directly with President Donald Trump.
In what was perhaps a sign of his self-assurance, Kim took his first ever question from a foreign journalist — a Washington Post reporter traveling with the White House press pool.
“From what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come out,” Kim said on Thursday morning.
On Thursday afternoon, the summit came to an abrupt and humiliating end for the North Koreans. Not only did President Trump walk out of the talks, he also snubbed the final meal he and Kim were supposed to share together.
The table was set and menu prepared for what should’ve been a friendly working lunch ahead of the scheduled joint signing ceremony. Instead, the snow fish and banoffee pie turned cold and the table sat empty — a symbol of the wasted opportunity in Hanoi.
“There was a huge need from the DPRK side to leave Hanoi with a signed agreement, especially with all the positive propaganda ahead of — and during — the summit period, which was unprecedented for the DPRK ” one source said.
“They were casting this summit as a big success before it even happened.”
