As many people around the globe know, President Donald J. Trump recently embarked on a journey which many hoped would end North Korea’s nuclear program. But both parties exited the meeting abruptly and with no treaty.

The meeting in Vietnam was marked by immediate and massive media coverage. Kim Jong-un arrived by train and President Trump by plane to meet once again in Hanoi. The peace talks continued for a few days, reaching topics of denuclearization, sanctions, U.S. prisoners, and hopes of a Korea-U.S. peace treaty to replace the armistice made after the Korean War in 1953. The schedule released for the summit started to get off track after a closed-door conference ran late, a lunch many reporters were waiting for was canceled, and both leaders headed back to their hotels. As a result, a press conference was moved two hours ahead to fill the awkward gap in time.

Released just before this press conference was an official statement by the White House detailing that the peace talks failed to produce any pieces of legislature. At the conference, the President told reporters that “it was all about the sanctions. They wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that.” In response, media correspondents from North Korea said that their negotiators had made “realistic proposals” during the talks.

Also addressed at the summit was the mystery of Otto Warmbier, the twenty-two-year-old who was arrested in North Korea and died after receiving extensive injuries in North Korean custody. Kim Jong-un, when asked about the matter by President Trump, said that he had no knowledge of the matter. Trump replied, saying that he “will take him at his word.” After President Trump was heavily criticized by many for this comment, including Warmbier’s parents, Trump changed his stance, claiming that he holds North Korea responsible. 

As for the official end to the Korean War, no progress was made in that direction. Most students at Hingham High are open to a deal between the U.S. and North Korea. Freshman Mason Fairfield is happy to have the President to make the country safer. His doubts do come through, when he says, “I’m totally fine if Trump makes deals with North Korea. All I’m worried about is that his nature might further anger Jung-un or his efforts in North Korea might cause negative effects at home.” Cate Macdonald, a sophmore, expressed her hope for a broader goal from these talks. “As a teenager growing up in this world, the hope that I have is that adults and leaders will work towards safety for our generation and the next. If these talks result in this, then I would consider them a success.” It is predicted that President Trump will continue to try to make peace with North Korea and reach a denuclearization deal in the future.