The Hanoi summit ended with no agreement... and now, North Korea is seeking to forge ties with another of the world's superpowers: Russia.
So,... how should we see this... and what direction might the two sides take?
To discuss this, scores of experts from around the world gathered in Seoul on Tuesday for the Asan Plenum 2019.
Oh Jung-hee went to check it out and filed this report.
International experts analyze... that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, through his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, wants to relieve the regime's political isolation and economic difficulties, while pressing the U.S.
Russia, on the other hand, wants to show that it is still an influential player in the region.
But Moscow won't cause a dramatic turnaround and there's a limit to what Russia can offer to Pyeongyang,... a former U.S. deputy National Security Advisor says.
"I would be suprised if Russia dramatically broke with the UN sanctions or took a very significant new turn in this direction. I think it's simply a reminder to everyone that Russia is still player in East Asia."
Pundits say... the upcoming Pyeongyang-Moscow summit is one of many tactics North Korea can use to gain the upper hand when it comes to nuclear negotiations.
And so is the North's recent criticism on high-ranking U.S. officials like Pompeo and Bolton.
Pyeongyang wants to deal directly with U.S. President Trump.
"You still try to deal with Trump because the rest of the administration, Bolton, Pompeo and everybody else, it's just going to be even worse. Trump is still more willing than people like Bolton to, if there's a descent deal to be had."
South Korea has stated that the two sides should come up with a (quote)"good enough deal" instead of the so-called 'big deals' or 'small deals.'
A former U.S. ambassador to South Korea says... this "good enough deal" would have to involve some real actions that lessen threats on the Peninsula.
"To actually begin to dismantle and destroy some of the weapons that threaten South Korea and the United States as a kind of litmus test of seriousness of Kim Jong-un. Real steps in that direction for me would be enough to offer some limited reduction of sanctions."
In moving forward, analysts agree that having another inter-Korean summit wouldn't help much in providing a momentum to nuclear negotiations.
The prospect is also grim for a third summit between Kim and Trump,... as neither Pyeongyang nor Washington has moved an inch from their respective stances.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.