Posted on : Oct.24,2018 16:37 KST
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Lee Do-hoon, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, answers reporters’ questions concerning North Korea-US negotiations in Washington, DC, on Oct. 23.
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Bolton says 2nd N. Korea-US summit likely to take place early next year
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Lee Do-hoon, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, answers reporters’ questions concerning North Korea-US negotiations in Washington, DC, on Oct. 23.
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North Korea and the US have yet to set a date and venue for their planned high-level talks, with White House National Security Advisor John Bolton saying a second summit between the two sides will probably take place after Jan. 1 of next year.
Meeting with journalists in Washington, DC, on Oct. 23, a senior South Korean government official said, “North Korea and the US appear to be continuing with their discussions on high-level talks.”
“Our understanding is that they have not yet set a date, and the venue has not been decided either,” the official added.
“The US is prepared to hold high-level talks, but North Korea has not yet given a concrete response,” the official said.
During an interview with Voice of America in Mexico City on Oct. 19, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, ”I’m very hopeful we’ll have senior leader meetings here in the next week and a half or so between myself and my counterpart.”
An official in the South Korean government said that Pompeo was referring to the US when he said ‘here.’”
According to this official, the working level talks between US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun and North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hee “will definitely be held because the instructions were given by the two countries’ leaders.” In regard to the relationship between the working-level talks and the high-level talks, this official said that “the two meetings will be held to complement each other without taking place in any given order.”
Addressing speculation that North Korea might be represented in the high-level talks by Kim Yo-jong, first vice director of the central committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, this official said, “I don’t think that has been confirmed by the US, either. Considering that Kim Yo-jong has attended many important meetings recently and that there is precedent for members of the [Kim] family taking on such jobs because of the unique nature of the North Korean regime, she could play that role, but I’m not sure whether she’s currently getting ready to leave North Korea.”
When asked about the delay in the confirmation for North Korea and the US’ working-level talks and high-level talks, this official said, “Considering the big game that’s being played alongside the decision to denuclearization, North Korea is also forced to be cautious about each and every step it takes. For the North, this is a game where it stands to lose all the nuclear weapons and facilities it has developed thus far at the very end of the negotiations. The North is going to thoroughly prepare for any moves it makes. That’s why I think this is taking a little longer [than expected].”
Responding to a question about whether the US government has confirmed that the second North Korea-US summit would be held next year, this official said, “People in the US government appear to be basically thinking the summit will take place around that time. Given the midterm elections at the beginning of next month [Nov. 6] and the process of preparing for the summit, that would appear to be the appropriate time frame.”
Even so, this official thinks it is possible for the Korean War to be formally ended and for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to pay a return visit to Seoul within the year, according to the plan announced by the South Korean government. In regard to the timing of the end-of-war declaration,” the official said, “The US has described the end-of-war declaration as part of the big picture, and that’s something to be negotiated. Depending on how detailed an agreement is reached during the North Korea-US working-level negotiations, I don’t think it’s impossible for the end-of-war declaration to be made within the year.”
Regarding Kim Jong-un’s reciprocal visit to Seoul
And as for whether Kim Jong-un could pay a reciprocal visit within the year without progress in North Korea-US denuclearization negotiations, the official said, “There could be some degree of progress toward denuclearization during the working-level negotiations, and I think that process could set the stage for the leaders of South and North Korea to meet in Seoul.”
When asked whether it would be possible for Kim to make a visit within the year even if the North Korea-US negotiations remained at an impasse, the official said, “In such a situation, I figure that the leaders of South and North Korea could meet to try to make a difference.” These remarks suggest that a fourth inter-Korean summit this year could create momentum for North Korea-US negotiations.
In related news, Lee Do-hoon, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, embarked on his journey home on Tuesday after discussing the North Korea-US negotiations and other matters during meetings with Biegun and other American officials in charge of Korean Peninsula policy from Oct. 21 to 23.
“Stephen and I agreed to meet together frequently and informally. Our discussion mainly revolved around how to tie together the second North Korea-US summit, the North Korea-US follow-up negotiations, steps toward denuclearization and corresponding measures and how to rally support from members of the international community, including China and Russia,” Lee told reporters.
By Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent
Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
