North Korea Won’t Give Up Nukes, Offers Hamburgers As A Compromise

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un (2nd R) attends a ceremony for the opening of a housing project in Pyongyang on April 13, 2017. With thousands of adoring North Koreans looking on -- along with invited international ... North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un (2nd R) attends a ceremony for the opening of a housing project in Pyongyang on April 13, 2017. With thousands of adoring North Koreans looking on -- along with invited international media -- Kim Jong-Un opened a prestige housing project as he seeks to burnish his nation's image even as concerns over its nuclear capabilities soar. / AFP PHOTO / Ed JONES (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

A new CIA report reveals that North Korea does not intend to give up their nuclear stockpile any time soon — though they may open a western burger chain in Pyongyang to soften the blow, according to a Tuesday NBC News report.

The hamburger concession is reportedly both a nod to President Donald Trump’s love of fast food, as well as a cheeky reference to Trump’s 2016 statement about wanting to talk nuclear weapons with Kim Jong Un while “eating a hamburger on a conference table.”

Per NBC, the CIA report came out at the same time as a new paper by Stanford professor Siegfried Hecker who, having toured the North Korean nuclear facilities four times, says it could take them 15 years to dismantle everything.

Though it seems that total nuclear disarmament is unlikely, talks about minor concessions between the U.S. and North Korea are reportedly ongoing. The United States has taken human rights demands off the table, while North Korea has not yet demanded removal of U.S. troops in South Korea.

The summit between the two countries’ leaders, initially scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, was officially cancelled last week, though emissaries have continued diplomatic trips and talks, leaving the event’s fate in limbo.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. The hamburger concession is reportedly both a nod to President Donald Trump’s love of fast food, as well as a cheeky reference to Trump’s 2016 statement about wanting to talk nuclear weapons with Kim Jong Un while “eating a hamburger on a conference table.”

    trump: “I’ll trade a McD fish sandwich for 2 nukes.”

    Art of the meal

  2. Since it’s North Korea, I wouldn’t be surprised if the newly welcomed “hamburger” franchise will end up serving Soylent Green burgers.

    NOTE: Changed to clarify meaning.

  3. If trump diplomacy continues, we’ll be the ones eating Soylent Green (I had to look that up—my TPM education started early today :blush:)

  4. After two more months of Trump negotiations, I am sure that there will be a KFC in North Korea. That Extra Crispy Nobel Peace Prize is in the bag!

  5. Hahahaha if you had to look up soylent green, then you are a lot younger than a lot of us!!

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

33 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for publishermike Avatar for paulw Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for brooklyndweller Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for fargo116 Avatar for sniffit Avatar for billfrompa Avatar for arc_of_the_universe Avatar for ottnott Avatar for jonney_5 Avatar for dommyluc Avatar for rickjones Avatar for tiowally Avatar for khyber900 Avatar for greysea Avatar for katscherger Avatar for socalista Avatar for read2much Avatar for causeforconcern Avatar for favoritecurmudgeon

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: