Let's get an expert's take on this weekend's meeting in Sweden between working-level officials of North Korea and the United States on the regime's denuclearization.
I'm glad to say we are joined on Skype by Dr. Mark P. Barry, an independent Asian affairs analyst who has followed U.S.-North Korea relations for nearly 30 years.


Mark, the two sides haven't sat down since the Hanoi summit collapsed with no deal around eight months ago, given this is their first face-to-face since February, what are your expectations for the discussions in Sweden?
Things have changed since Hanoi President Trump has floated a "new method" of moving forward, John Bolton is out of the White House, Kim Yong-chol is no longer the head of the North's delegation and we are closer to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Trump will want a big foreign policy win that he can sell to voters. Do these factors mean the U.S. will provide the flexibility North Korea has been demanding for so long?
Many were surprised when North Korea launched a ballistic missile days ahead of this meeting in Sweden. The timing of these launches are never a coincidence, of course. Why did the regime pull this potentially-risky move so close to these talks?
Before we let you go, do you expect Kim Jong-un and President Trump to hold a third summit soon? If so, when do you think it'll happen... and where? AND.... any chance of Kim heading to the U.S. or Trump going the other way?
Ok, thanks for your perspective. We'll have to see how this weekend unfolds. Dr. Mark P. Barry, thanks for joining us.