Special envoys from South Korean President Moon Jae-in have reportedly met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Monday. Media reports say Kim hosted a dinner for the South Koreans.
The 10-member delegation headed by Moon’s top national security advisor, Chung Eui-Yong, arrived in Pyongyang after a rare direct flight from Seoul to convey Moon’s message concerning denuclearization and a permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Speaking to reporters in Seoul before his departure, Chung said that he would “deliver President Moon’s strong determination and willingness for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, and making genuine and permanent peace (on the Peninsula).”
Chung also said he will push for “in-depth” talks to find ways to help arrange the restart of dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.
“For this, we plan to have in-depth discussions not only on South-North talks, but also ways to continue talks between North Korea and the international community, including the United States,” Chung said.
That mission could be complicated by military planned drills, however, as a commentary published by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency warned that Pyongyang would “counter the U.S.” if it holds joint military exercises with South Korea in April.
The special delegation the head of the National Intelligence Service, Suh Hoon, who is a veteran in dealings with the North. Hoon is known to have been deeply involved in negotiations to arrange two previous inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007.
After the two-day visit to North Korea, the South Korean special envoys will travel to the United States to brief American officials on their discussions in Pyongyang.
In sending his envoys to Pyongyang, Moon is seeking to reciprocate Kim Jong Un’s decision to send a senior delegation, including his sister, Kim Yo Jong, to last month’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Moon has yet to accept Kim Jong Un’s invitation to visit Pyongyang.
Those North Korean officials told Moon they were willing to restart talks with the U.S., but President Donald Trump responded by saying talks will happen only “under the right conditions.” | via Voice of America
