The New York Times(NYT) says that U.S. President Donald Trump has “opened the door to a phased dismantling” of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. 

Analyzing Trump’s remarks made in a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House on Tuesday, the U.S. newspaper assessed that Trump is backing away from his demand that the North completely abandon its weapons without any reciprocal concessions from the U.S. 

The NYT said the U.S. president hinted flexibility and chance of concession vis-à-vis the North although he reaffirmed the stance that it is desirable for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons all at once. 

The paper said his statement seemed less a policy shift than an effort to hold a U.S.-North Korea summit as scheduled, but added it is worth noting that he is willing to give up what for months has been his bedrock position in dealing with the North. 

At the beginning of the summit with Moon, Trump said there may be "physical reasons" why an upfront dismantling may not be practical, apparently referring to the large scale of the North’s nuclear program. 

He said it may take some time to dismantle the North’s nuclear program, but it would be also considered all-at-once dismantling. 

[Photo : YONHAP News]