LIers mull historic Trump-Kim summit

<p>As President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Monday, Long Islanders shared mixed feelings about the historic summit with News 12.</p>

News 12 Staff

Jun 12, 2018, 2:23 AM

Updated 2,156 days ago

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As President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Monday, Long Islanders shared mixed feelings about the historic summit with News 12.
Some people say they support the president's willingness to meet with Kim, but others say that they strongly oppose the idea.
"I'm hopeful, and I think it's about time that people look for peace in the world," said Melville resident Elena Halady. "I would really like to see denuclearization...And if it costs us a few dollars, it'll save us money by not having to man troops in that area."
But others, like Kevin Heaney of Hicksville, say they are skeptical that the two leaders will work out a peace treaty.
"Seeing how most of the people he's surrounded himself with are pro-war, anti-peace with Korea, it's less likely that Trump would be interested in actually going through fully with the peace agreement," Heaney said.
Tom Devlin, also from Hicksville, blamed one of those advisers in particular -- John Bolton, the president's notoriously hawkish national security adviser.
"If Bolton is going to be one of the big leaders with this, I see this as going nowhere," Devlin said. "I mean, he's just a war hawk who's willing to say 'bomb them' and call it off."
Rep. Peter King said he and Trump spoke about the historic talks shortly before the president flew to Singapore.
"He knew it was going to be difficult, but he believed that it was an opportunity he had to take advantage of," King said. "But he also emphasized he would walk away from a bad deal."
And if the two can work out a good deal, both sides have a lot to gain, according to Hofstra law professor Julian Ku.
"President Trump has a lot to gain politically, domestically, if he is able to say that we've been able to make progress with North Korea," Ku said. "With respect to the Korean leader...he's going to get a lot of legitimacy. He's already gotten more attention for his country that has ever been given to North Korea."
And many Long Islanders agreed that this summit, whatever happens, is better than the situation before the Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea, when there were talks of war.
"It's a good sign, and it's a good step forward either way," said Bruce Yuan, of Syosset. "It's better than shooting rockets, right?"


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