Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un summit ends in disarray but there are lessons to be learnt, experts say

My takeaway is that they weren't properly prepared. This was, as Rebecca Hersman puts it in the article, "top down, summit-driven diplomacy," which I agree is worth a try, but it seems they should have had their terms discussed with diplomats before the leaders bothered meeting again.

For any future meeting the ink needs to be nearly dry on something — even an interim or incremental something — before they meet again.

In-Bum Chun:

I think there is a miscalculation on the part of the North Koreans that they thought that because of President Trump's internal political issues he would be easy to make a deal with in Hanoi

That miscalculation wouldn't have been possible with the proper diplomatic preparation. They shouldn't have gone in without knowing each other's terms. Negotiations have to start from a baseline, and it seems the DPRK had "close Yongbyon, receive immediate relief from all sanctions" as theirs, and the US had "close Yongbyon, let us inspect to verify, and we'll lift some sanctions." Knowing that, discussion of which sanctions, and Kim allowing the inspections, would have been the things to negotiate.

Jean H Lee:

It was a gamble to leave negotiating teams so little time to carry out the tough work it takes to agree on a roadmap to denuclearisation. And it was risky to continue those negotiations into the summit instead of calling them off beforehand.

Again, lack of preparation, and I suppose we could say "on both sides."

Zhiqun Zhu:

It's probably the first time Kim has answered a question from a Western journalist...He was also obviously serious about North Korea's denuclearisation. As he remarked, if he were not serious, he would not have come to Hanoi.

He didn't really say that in his answer to the question, but it's interesting to hear that that was Zhu's takeaway from Kim. I don't think I'd heard before that Kim actually acknowledges that we don't want them to be a nuclear power, and apparently is serious about it.

Christine Ahn:

Going forward, there must be a more robust official diplomatic process, as well as the inclusion of civil society, especially women, that have on-the-ground expertise and insight that can help both governments come to greater understanding.

That makes it clear that it's possible the lack of preparation has to do with the DPRK just not having proper diplomatic processes and personnel in place. We're starting from a place where they were isolated for so many decades; it may just take time to reach a meaningful deal.

Jie Chen:

Apparently the summit failed because Kim Jong-un asked for too much by giving away too little. Such bottom-line differences should have been ironed out beforehand.

Again, it appears no one was prepared for this summit.

It seems this particular summit was handled very poorly, possibly by both sides. The White House minted freaking coins for this thing, yet no one (apparently) discussed just what exactly their baseline terms were ahead of time. Here's hoping they do reach a meaningful deal. I'd like for the man who represents my country to do at least one thing that I see as a real benefit for the US, and it would be great for the world, and specifically North Koreans to get out from under the isolation, human rights abuses, and economic destitution that has shrouded their country for so long. (sorry for the length; there was a lot of insight I hadn't read before in that article.)