[US Presidential Debate] Biden: "If North Korea Reduces Nuclear Weapons, I Can Meet with Kim" (Summary)

Final TV Debate Clash
Trump "Good Relationship with Kim Jong-un... No War"
COVID Vaccine Dispute... Trump "Vaccine Within a Week" Biden "President Without Solutions"
Mute Button Rule Introduced, Interruptions Disappear
Climate Change Also Debated

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden engaged in their final 'face-off' debate on the 22nd (local time) at 9 p.m. (10 a.m. Korean time) in Nashville, Tennessee, with 12 days remaining until the presidential election.

President Trump targeted Biden's son issues, such as the Ukraine scandal, while Biden focused intensively on holding Trump accountable for the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, Biden attracted attention by stating he would meet with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un on the condition that "North Korea agrees to reduce its nuclear capabilities."

The debate, moderated by NBC anchor Kristen Welker, showed a different atmosphere from the first debate as the two candidates greeted each other upon entering. President Trump entered without a mask, while Biden wore one.

The candidates clashed over responses to COVID-19, race, climate change, national security, and leadership. President Trump claimed, "A vaccine will be available within a week," insisting it was not his responsibility but China's fault. Biden responded, "I will shut down the virus, not the country," and raised his voice, saying, "(President Trump) has no solution. Someone responsible for so many deaths should not remain president."

When asked about the possibility of Russian and Iranian interference in the election, Biden warned, "Countries interfering in the U.S. election will pay a price." Trump accused Biden of receiving $3.5 million from Russia, to which Biden countered, "I have never received a penny. He [Trump] received money from secret Chinese accounts." Trump defended himself against accusations of not paying taxes for ten years by saying, "I paid millions in advance."

Biden also actively defended himself against allegations related to his son Hunter's scandal, stating, "I did not profit from this."

North Korea was also a significant topic in the debate. President Trump said, "I have a good relationship with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un. There was no war," to which Biden sarcastically replied, "We had a good relationship before Hitler invaded Europe."

Biden continued, "Trump legitimized North Korea and turned it into a rogue state," adding, "The Korean Peninsula must be denuclearized." However, Biden mentioned he is willing to meet with Chairman Kim if North Korea reduces its nuclear arsenal.

Originally, three TV presidential debates were scheduled, but the second debate was canceled due to President Trump's COVID-19 infection and his refusal to accept changes in the debate format. Thus, the two candidates faced off twice before the election.

The newly introduced 'mute' button in this debate was relatively effective. It was a device to prevent interruptions during the opponent's speech, which was a trademark of President Trump in the first debate. Interruptions were limited, and overrunning speaking time was rare. The transparent partitions installed between the candidates to prevent COVID-19 were hastily removed before the debate by mutual agreement of both camps. Both candidates tested negative for COVID-19 before the debate began.

First Lady Melania Trump appeared for the first time since the first debate. She wore a black mask and sat in the audience before the debate started.

Before the debate, the candidates' approaches were sharply contrasting. President Trump continued campaigning in key battleground states where the gap was narrowing, emphasizing Hunter Biden's Ukraine corruption allegations, while Biden focused almost exclusively on preparing for the TV debate without scheduling many campaign events.

Contrary to public interest, the prevailing opinion is that this debate will not decisively influence the election outcome. The Associated Press predicted, "While the final TV debate has historically had a significant impact on election results, this time will be different." Many voters have already decided their preferred candidate, and with early and mail-in voting underway, the debate's influence is expected to be less than in past elections. The political media outlet The Hill questioned whether this debate would be a 'game changer.'