The South Korean president said Thursday he is “very perplexed” by President Trump’s sudden decision to cancel the US-North Korea summit.
President Moon Jae-in made the remarks during an emergency meeting of his top security officials in Seoul after Trump announced that he was canceling the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un because of Pyongyang’s “hostility.”
“I am very perplexed and it is very regrettable that the North Korea-US summit will not be held on June 12,” Moon said, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
“Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of permanent peace are historic tasks that can neither be abandoned nor delayed.”
Moon, who had just met with Trump in Washington on Tuesday, said he was caught off guard by Trump’s decision.
In a letter to Kim released by the White House on Thursday, Trump abruptly canceled the much-anticipated meeting after the North Korean regime made some contentious remarks in their state media.
“I was very much looking forward to being there with you,” Trump said.
“Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting.”