Professor Carl Thayer (Photo: Getty Image)

Carl Thayer, Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales, said Vietnam being chosen to host the second summit shows that the DPRK and the US trust Vietnam to make security and logistics preparations. Vietnam has experience in hosting large international conferences so it’s likely it will be able to fulfill its role in this case, he said.  

“In Vietnam’s case, it’ll be on the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member," he said, "It’ll be the next ASEAN chair so Vietnam and ASEAN itself has always wanted to contribute or help with the peace process in Korea. By meeting in Vietnam, that might mean that ASEAN itself and Vietnam as the chair can continue to play a role in encouraging this peace process.”

Doctor Euan Graham, Executive Director of La Trobe Asia, said Vietnam’s significant achievements and open diplomatic policies persuaded the US and DPRK to choose it to host their second summit. 

“I think the choice of Vietnam is highly symbolic. Vietnam has diplomatic relations with both countries and more recently with the United States," he said, "Kim Il Sung visited Vietnam twice when he was President in the 1950s and 1960s. There was a reciprocal visit to Pyongyang by Ho Chi Minh as well. So Vietnam can play a credible role of being an intermediary between the US and DPRK. More importantly than that, I think the big symbolism is around Vietnam’s status as a country that has already got unification behind it.”

Beni Sukadis, Coordinator at the Indonesian Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies (LESPERSSI), said hosting the summit affirms Vietnam’s increasing role and status.