U.S. and North Korean Spies Have Held Secret Talks for a Decade

[JacksinPA]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-an...ve-held-secret-talks-for-a-decade-11548091335

Years of covert contacts with America’s bitter adversary helped pave the way for President Trump’s summit with Kim Jong Un

WASHINGTON—U.S. intelligence officials have met with North Korean counterparts secretly for a decade, a covert channel that allowed communications during tense times, aided in the release of detainees and helped pave the way for President Trump’s historic summit last year with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The secret channel between the Central Intelligence Agency and spies from America’s bitter adversary included two missions to Pyongyang in 2012 during the Obama administration by Michael Morell, then deputy CIA director,...[paywall]
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Interesting to find out what has actually been going on. Usually we use indirect contacts through neutral country's embassies, such as Switzerland.

FWIW, my brother-in-law just retired from the Company & knew Mike Morell. My relative is very even tempered but he had nothing good to say in describing this guy. He referred to him as a type of reptile familiar to Adam & Eve. See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Morell.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Company

 

[ThirdTerm]

The WSJ report attempts to show that while diplomacy between the two countries has certainly intensified in the Trump era, the current administration has benefited greatly from past efforts by the Obama administration. But no progress was made by the previous administrations despite a couple of covert contacts with Pyongyang. North Korea made concessions only after it faced the prospect of a nuclear war with the United States, presuming that Trump could push the button, if he is inclined to do so. Trump played hardball with North Korea and it paid off handsomely.

 

[JacksinPA]

The WSJ report attempts to show that while diplomacy between the two countries has certainly intensified in the Trump era, the current administration has benefited greatly from past efforts by the Obama administration. But no progress was made by the previous administrations despite a couple of covert contacts with Pyongyang. North Korea made concessions only after it faced the prospect of a nuclear war with the United States, presuming that Trump could push the button, if he is inclined to do so. Trump played hardball with North Korea and it paid off handsomely.

'Paid off' how? Building up its nuclear production, setting up more secret rocket bases? That Singapore summit was just a photo op for The Donald.