COMMENTARY: Love letters tell of a relationship that went amiss

By Berl Falbaum

The headline grabbed me like none other before.

It read: “Letters Between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and former U.S. President Donald Trump Revealed.”

Wow! Now the world will learn how, according to Trump, the two loved each other. He had assured us that Kim had written him “beautiful” letters and “we fell in love.”

After all, Kim does not just shoot Cupid arrows; he fires ballistic missiles.

The story reported that the Korean-American Club, a nonprofit composed of South Korean journalists from different news agencies, published 27 personal letters, written between April 2018 and August 2019, in the latest issue of its magazine, The Korus Journal.

This group of journalists was able to accomplish this feat without a special master.

My pulse beat rapidly and my palms sweated. I poured myself a drink (under the circumstances, a double), closed the door to my office, and sat in my favorite chair.

This was a moment to savor. You really have to be hard-hearted not to be moved by such a historic event.

“I am ready to work with your excellency with all my heart and devotion,” Kim said in a letter dated April 1, 2018, about six weeks before he first met Trump at a summit in Singapore.

On the same day, Trump responded that he was “happy to meet” Kim to “drastically” improve relations between their respective governments.

Ok, I said to myself. They are both proceeding slowly; they don’t want to rush things and scare the other one. I remember destroying possible romances by making a move too early. It didn’t help when I waited either.

Then, Trump wrote a letter thanking Kim for the repatriation of the remains of 55 U.S. troops who died during the 1950-53 Korean War.

“Thank you for keeping your promise to start the repatriation process of our soldiers,” Trump said in the letter dated August 2, 2018. “I look forward to seeing you soon.”

Nothing yet! I started to have my doubts about Trump really loving Kim or vice versa.

Kim greeted Trump on his birthday in 2019 with a letter that also mentioned the one-year anniversary of their “historic” meeting in Singapore.

Trump replied two days later, saying he and Kim shared a “unique relationship and a special friendship.”

Here it comes, I thought. He mentioned a “unique relationship and special friendship.” That’s fairly personal.

According to The Korus Journal report, Kim sent two letters in September 2018, in which he indicated his desire to personally discuss with Trump a potential de-nuclearization of North Korea.

“The most important cause of what your side considers the headache of ‘missile threats’ and nuclear problem is the military actions of your side and the South Korean military that threatens our safety,” Kim wrote. “And until these elements are eliminated, no changed outcome can be anticipated.”

I wriggled uncomfortably in my chair. “De-nuclearization” is hardly sweet talk. I use that term when trying to fix a spat with my wife.

Trump sent 16 letters to the North Korean leader, who sent 11. So far absolutely nothing. I began drinking in disappointment. I would not even describe the two as pen pals let alone being in love.

I tried hard to understand the reluctance of either to express their emotions. I assumed both had writers on staff—like a Cyrano de Bergerac—who could have helped. But maybe they were too embarrassed to reveal their feelings to anyone.

In Kim’s final letter in August 2019, he complained to Trump that North Korea had gained nothing from the U.S.

“As of now, it is very difficult for me and my people to understand the decision and behavior of you and South Korean authorities,” read Kim’s letter, dated August 5, 2019.

Kim expressed how “offended” he was by the “paranoid” war exercises jointly conducted by the U.S. and South Korean soldiers.

Things are starting to get nasty, I said to myself. This is not looking good.

“As your excellency indicated at some point, we have a strong military ... and it is a matter of common knowledge that the [South Korean] armed forces are no match for our military,” Kim added. “Setting aside the differences in military power, I have no intention to attack South Korea or start a war. I have no inclination to do that indeed.”

Kim’s use of “your excellency” is pretty cold rhetoric. Talking about war is hardly lovey-dovey. I concluded that to salvage this “affair” the two needed someone like Dr. Phil, Oprah, or Jerry Springer.
Kim invoked “your excellency” four times in his letters to Trump. I tried to envision Juliet, addressing Romeo from her balcony with, “O Romeo, Romeo, [your excellency], wherefore art thou Romeo ...”

Just on the chance that “your excellency” is a term of endearment, I asked my wife if you would consider referring to me as “your excellency.”

She laughed uncontrollably for about an hour, finally responding, “Of course, your excellency. Why didn’t I think of that all these years?”

Every time I walk by, she asks, “Is everything OK, your excellency?”

I thought it is fair to conclude that the relationship between Trump and Kim is—to use one of the former president’s favorite words—overrated.

I now understand why, when the president expressed love for Kim, Melania did not complain.
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Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.