World
A lof Americans were however outraged with the flag arrangement, with some commentators claiming that putting the two flags together was legitimising 'the brutal dictatorship of North Korea'.
Updated : Jun 14, 2018, 07:07 PM IST
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had forged a "good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the start of a historic summit in Singapore on Tuesday, as the two men sought ways to end a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula. However, there was one aspect fo the Singapore summit that didn't go down well.
A lof Americans were however outraged with the flag arrangement, with some commentators claiming that putting the two flags together was legitimising 'the brutal dictatorship of North Korea'.
Others compared it to the conservative disdain for African-American athletes kneeling during the national anthem. Observers felt that placing the two flags side-by-side was a big win for North Korea.
Here's how some Twitter users reacted:
Can't recall ever seeing arrangement of US and NK flags side by side like this. pic.twitter.com/nprugGR3rC
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 12, 2018
And with that handshake, President Trump has done something no other President has done: Legitimize the brutal dictator of North Korea, the most repressive regime in the world.
— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) June 12, 2018
The stage is equalising; it presents the opposed as holders of two equally-weighted, valid viewpoints. North Korea wanted that desperately, the optics of the flags and leaders side by side. For Kim it's a significant political victory at home, regardless of the outcome.
— Katherine Cross (@Quinnae_Moon) June 12, 2018
Which is worse:
— MJG (@MJGWrites) June 12, 2018
- Black American Athletes exercising their 1st Amendment right before the flag?
- Intertwining the flag with that of a brutal dictator?
If you answered the first one, you really don’t know what our flag means and would fit in perfectly in North Korea. pic.twitter.com/HxyRseY3tz
South Korean TV broadcasts, analysts say North Korea will be very impressed with its flags side to side by the US flag. "NK media will use this image to tell the people that NK is now on equal status." via @elisewho #TrumpKimSummit https://t.co/uk3LMBcXo8
— Polly Sigh (@dcpoll) June 12, 2018
When the flag of a criminal State like North Korea is given the same stature as the flag of the United States of America. #repulsive pic.twitter.com/XWuwTr9eYo
— JAH (@jah510) June 12, 2018
Conservatives: Football players kneeling is disrespectful of the American flag!
— Tippi is now known as Tibbi (@TrashFireT) June 12, 2018
Also conservatives: The American flag standing evenly with North Korea's flag is fine. pic.twitter.com/mxXXZlFCqw
So our “President” is missing from G7 official portrait with our allies and is seen here with brutal dictator Kim Jung Un with the American flag he so pretends to love right next to North Korea’s. #ShameOnTrump #TrumpKimSummit pic.twitter.com/zTreT0ufsM
— Kim (@kimfrederi) June 12, 2018
I’m irritated by the #NorthKorea and US flags already being placed together before anything has been accomplished or announced. A win for NK at the #SingaporeSummit w/o any concessions.
— Nayyera Haq (@nayyeroar) June 12, 2018
This is sickening. North Korea is a disgusting regime and a human rights hellhole. Lining up our flag as an equal to theirs is a abomination. #TrumpKimSummit pic.twitter.com/N5mwbNdOzV
— Max Action (@MaxAction007) June 12, 2018
It makes me ill to see the US flag right next to North Korea’s flag.
— Megan Myers (@meganemyers) June 12, 2018
You know what’s unpatriotic @realDonaldTrump? Our flag sharing equal space with North Korea’s flag #TrumpKimSummit. pic.twitter.com/nMsf0jr71f
— debsdsu (@debsdsu91) June 12, 2018
Here’s the President of the free world shaking hands with one of the most brutal dictators ever, a man accused of crimes against humanity. They’re standing in front of American and North Korea flags with equal prominence. #TrumpKimsummit pic.twitter.com/RuEIgI2kzg
— Steve Grzanich (@SteveGrzanich) June 12, 2018
The American flag is side by side with the North Korean flag as though we are equals.
— Ryan Knight (@ProudResister) June 12, 2018
Donald Trump just legitimized North Korea before they’ve made any assurances to denuclearize. #TrumpKimSummit pic.twitter.com/FDDaqcuow1
American flag is raised next to #NorthKorea flag for first time ever! Why does Trump befriend the enemies of democracy while trashing its allies?#TwoDictators pic.twitter.com/j4Z0zfKbDg
— Chris Sampson (@TAPSTRIMEDIA) June 12, 2018
The optics of this summit—from the handshakes, to the flag arrangements, to the seating arrangements—are indistinguishable from a meeting between two sovereign states with normal diplomatic relations. The legitimizing effect on North Korea's regime is undeniable. #TrumpKimSummit
— Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) June 12, 2018
No matter what you think, history has been made.
— andy lassner (@andylassner) June 12, 2018
The President of the United States of America, standing in front of our flag spooning north Korea’s flag, shook hands with a murderous dictator who has killed his own family members
They are the first leaders of their respective countries to meet, the culmination of months of diplomatic wrangling and negotiations.
The President expressed hope that the historic summit would be "tremendously successful." Sitting next to the North Korean leader, Trump said, "We will have a terrific relationship ahead." "I feel really great. It's gonna be a great discussion and I think tremendous success. I think it's gonna be really successful and I think we will have a terrific relationship, I have no doubt," Trump responded when asked how he felt in the first minute.
The North Korean dictator said there were a number of "obstacles" to the meeting taking place in Singapore today.
"We overcame all of them and we are here today," he told reporters through a translator.
After shaking hands in front of a row of American and North Korean flags, Trump and Kim walked along a colonnade, inside the hotel and up a flight of stairs.
At 9:06 AM (local time), they entered the room where they held their one-on-one meeting. The translator sat beside Trump.
The North Korean dictator said there were a number of "obstacles" to the meeting taking place in Singapore today.
"Well, it was not easy to get here. The past has placed many obstacles in our way but we overcame all of them and we are here today," he told reporters through a translator.
Trump then said "Thank you very much".
Fourteen reporters are participating in the tight pool, seven each from the US and North Korea.
On the agenda is North Korea's nuclear capabilities, which Trump is hoping to convince them to abandon in exchange for economic assistance.
Sentosa is a popular tourist island a few hundred metres off the main island of Singapore.
The summit - the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader - will mark a turnaround of relations between Trump and Kim after a long-running exchange of threats and insults.
On the eve of the summit, the US offered "unique" security guarantees to North Korea in return for a "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation.
The White House has confirmed that President Trump, 71, and Kim, 34, will initially hold a one-on-one meeting, with only translators present.
The US insists it will accept nothing less than complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
The official North Korean news agency said on Sunday that Kim was ready to talk about "denuclearisation" and a "durable peace" at a summit held "for the first time in history under the great attention and expectation of the whole world." Trump said on Saturday that Kim has a "one-time shot" to make history.
"I feel that Kim Jong-un wants to do something great for his people," he had said.
With inputs from PTI