“One trip and it’s ‘mission accomplished,’ Mr. President?” tweeted Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), adding that North Korea was still in possession of its nuclear missiles and that the promise was still vague. “North Korea is a real and present threat.  So is a dangerously naive president.”Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), also highlighting North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, said the U.S. was still in danger.

As the imbroglio deepens, world opinion is shifting toward caution and moderation, not so much in sympathy for the puny underdog taking on the hegemon but out of concern that the confrontation, without a course correction, could lead to catastrophic consequences exceeding any rational imagination. The people of South Korea are relatively blasé about the actions of their neighbor to the north because they believe they understand the North Koreans. They fear instead US President Donald Trump because of his unpredictability and the seeming opacity hiding his real intentions.

President Barack Obama will meet China’s President Xi Jinping in an informal setting in Southern California on June 7-8, an added stop for President Xi en route back to China from state visits in the Caribbean. This more or less impromptu meeting has aroused a lot of interest on both sides of the Pacific. Some pundits do not expect the meeting to move the needle on bilateral relations. Others hope for an outcome that’s more than status quo.

The administration of President-elect Park Geun-hye is facing an immediate crisis in North Korea’s nuclear program. If she does not handle the situation carefully, South Korea will face a serious threat to its security. As soon as Park takes office there are a slew of issues that she must tackle, including the economy, social welfare, and education. But in many ways her presidency will be judged on how she handles her bellicose neighbor.