The big takeaway from the Singapore summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was a four-point document, signed by both leaders, committing their governments to the pursuit of peace.
The big picture: The deal's language around the process of denuclearization is vague, as North Korea wanted it to be. But experts say the short-term risk of military conflict between the two countries has dropped from "fire and fury" levels to nearly zero — a win for both sides, and the rest of the world.
The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new US-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
- What it means: It's the broad declaration of peace experts were expecting would come out of the summit.
The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula.
- What it means: More specifically, Trump on Tuesday committed to ending joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises — a big concession to North Korea and a win for Beijing as well.
Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work towards the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
- What it means: This follows North Korea's commitment to South Korea in April. It's not clear whether the leaders decided on a specific framework for denuclearization and verification.
The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.
- What it means: Per Stars and Stripes, "Remains of an estimated 5,300 missing American service members are in North Korea and potentially recoverable."
Worth noting: The terms are strikingly similar to those of the June 1993 deal struck between then-President Clinton and Kim Jong Il, which North Korea eventually violated.
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