Trump is offering a way out to NK.

And it is....?

Too bad their people can't see/hear this speech.

Our President is so benevolent!

The DPRK leadership doesn't need "a way out." They have what they've always wanted, which is a credible nuclear program capable of striking the American mainland.

We're NOT going to invade them, regardless of any bluster, so they have absolutely no reason to negotiate with us. We can sanction them (more/again), but the NK upper classes will be fine and China and Russia will never allow the regime to collapse suddenly because they don't want to deal with the resulting refugee crisis.

NK is in an interesting place right now. The current leader is far more like his grandfather than his father. That’s a good thing. He’s foreign educated and is, for the first time in a generation, actually working to “modernize” parts of his society. That too is a good thing.

I’m in no way defending the guy, he’s probably doing this more out of self preservation than anything altruistic - he has to win over his people. His grandfather had the revolution, his father the Cold War and its associated conflicts, he has zero military background. He was also hurriedly thrust into his position years before his father had intended. Therefore he does not have the backing of his generals; and the military is a huge part of the regime’s power. So, he’s having to win over his people (largely by westernizing farming and market practices) and stave off his military heirachy (largely by pounding his chest on the international stage).

Make no mistake, almost all of the military dick measuring we're seeing with nuclear missiles from NK is for show. The US intelligence community has stated for years that if NK really wanted to strike us, then they could have done so by infiltration via our ports or open borders - missiles aren’t necessary. This bravado from NK is only serving two purposes: to show his own people that he too is a “military leader” (which is likely working) and to establish himself on the global stage as someone to be respected (his second point probably isn’t going over as well as he intended only because of Trump - Hillary and Obama have/would have rolled over and given him more money/aid without question. Trump isn’t playing into his hand though.).

There is a real possibility that little Kim will westernize NK significantly over the next 10, 20, 30 years. He’s certainly the lesser of two evils: he or one of his generals. But the very last thing we want is another Iran where a western-ish leader is deposed in favor of a far more radical regime.

Trump is very smart in giving him an out - an out that allows little Kim to maintain power and look good to his people. Winning points with him will probably go a long way to being able to influence him in the years to come. This is a very good thing. After all, revolutionizing NK can’t happen overnight.

But that’s just my complicated and humble opinion.