Trump-style US-N. Korea summit has ended

It has been confirmed that former Vice President Joe Biden won the U.S. presidential election and will be inaugurated as the next president on January 20, 2021. Biden has secured over 270 electoral college votes needed to win the presidential race. While the final number is not available yet, it seems certain that he has won at least four million votes more than President Trump has in the national polls. This would be normally a time to celebrate for democrats.

However, this is not a normal time. President Trump who has broken norms during his eventful presidency is refusing to uphold the tradition of concession when an opponent’s win becomes clear. Instead, the president is claiming that the election results are a big fraud and filing lawsuits challenging the results across the nation. Of course, Trump will remain as a president until January 20, 2021. Most of the lawsuits he filed lack evidence, but it is not clear when Trump will accept his defeat. Theoretically, there will be strong institutional pressure on Trump, however, the chaos can continue until early December when the electoral college vote takes place. Under such circumstances, the transition to the Biden administration may start very slowly and with many difficulties.

Although Trump has lost the election, he will continue to receive passionate support from his Republican supporters. Biden is trying to unite the country to address COVID-19 and serious economic slump. However, his hope will face heavy challenges from the resistant Senate and the deeply divided public.Biden will take the White House with intimate familiarity with the Korean Peninsula.

“We will strengthen our alliance and stand with South Koreans to maintain peace in East Asia and beyond,” Biden wrote in a contribution, paying warm respect to South Koreans. He also said he will not extort South Koreans with threats to withdraw the military. I believe that Biden has made it clear that he will put South Korea at the center when dealing with issues on the Korean Peninsula. He will not meet with the North Korean leader for show, unlike Trump. He will approach North Korea based on careful preparation and close coordination with South Korea. Progress towards peace on the Korean Peninsula may take longer than what is wished by many South Koreans, but it will be made with a stronger foundation based on mutual interests.