President Duterte is now considering North Korean leader Kim Jong Un his “idol” following his “master stroke” of agreeing to forge peace with South Korea and rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons.
The President has heaped praises on the North Korean leader for his resolve to end the nuclear conflict, saying he plans to congratulate Kim and offer his friendship in case he meets him.
Duterte previously described Kim as a dangerous maniac who could trigger a nuclear war in the region amid his alarming missile tests.
“Alam mo si – naging idol ko tuloy siya Kim Jong Un. For all of the time, he was pictured to be the bad boy of the community but with one master stroke, he is now the hero of everybody,” Duterte said in a press conference in Davao City upon his arrival from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Singapore early yesterday morning.
“He appears to be amiable, jolly good fellow, and very accommodating. I hope he remains to be that way because nobody is really after him, just a matter of historical divide which was created there,” he added.
After his change of opinion about the North Korean leader, Duterte is looking forward to meeting Kim.
He said that he was impressed with Kim’s decision to end the war with South Korea. “I think that to me, the man of the hour would be Kim Jong Un. And someday, if I get to meet him, I’d like to congratulate him. Sabihin ko sa kanya, ‘Bilib ako sa’yo. Marunong ka mag-timing.’ Kaya heroism is sometimes left to chance, otherwise it’s purposely timed.”
“Ituring na lang niya akong isang kaibigan because this will promote – the impact is really, there is less stress now in the Korean Peninsula. And maybe, just maybe, we can avoid a war which nobody can win anyway,” Duterte said.
The North Korean leader held last Friday a historic meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on efforts to end the decades-old war. The two leaders signed an agreement to negotiate a treaty towards the complete denuclearization and nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
