We have always insisted they give up a bunch of stuff before we talk to them. They refused, so we didn't talk. NK views merely having talks with the US President as a massive victory, granting them equal status. This is culturally very significant to NK (and, having done business in Asia, I can tell you it's significant across the Asian world in business and diplomacy). It's also the main reason we always sent SoS's instead of POTUS to meet the NK regime -- they are not equals, should not be viewed as equals, and should not be awarded an audience with POTUS because that denies them a huge internal and external victory.

Now Trump has decided he will talk without preconditions. Like, say, freeing the many other American citizens still in NK prisons.

I have little faith that Trump has the attention span to deal with what will be a long, tedious, zigzagging negotiations process, nor do I think there are many people in Trump Administration qualified to handle what will be an incredibly delicate conversation. .