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The Korean Central News Agency reported on Jan. 24 that Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Vice Chairman Kim Yong-chol reported the details of his Washington, DC, visit to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the WPK headquarters in Pyongyang. Kim is accompanied by Kim Hyok-chol (second from left) and Pak Chol (far left).
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Expresses satisfaction at “receiving good personal letter” from Trump
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “has set forth tasks and orientation for making good practical preparations for the second DPRK-US summit high on the agenda,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Jan. 24. The message from Kim came while he was meeting on Jan. 23 with a “delegation to the second DPRK-US high-level talks” headed by Workers’ Party Vice Chairman Kim Yong-chol and “expressing satisfaction over the results of the talks and activities” during their US visit, the KCNA said. The report indicates that Kim Jong-un received a report from Kim Yong-chol and presented specific negotiating guidelines related to the main agenda, approach and objective for his second summit with US President Donald Trump. Kim Jong-un also “expressed great satisfaction” on receiving a “good personal letter sent by President Trump,” the KCNA said. The North Korean leader was quoted as saying North Korea would “believe in the positive way of thinking of President Trump, wait with patience and in good faith and, together with the US, advance step by step toward the goal to be reached by the two countries of the DPRK and the US.” His remarks appeared to reflect a focus on a step-by-step approach based on the establishment of shared goals rather than a “speed campaign” and “package deal.” Kim Yong-chol’s reporting of results from his first US visit in late May 2018 was not disclosed in the North Korean press at the time, nor were the response and additional instructions from Kim Jong-un. The latest report is noteworthy in sharing Kim Jong-un’s conclusions about the visit outcome with the outside world through a state-run news agency. The reported mood was positive, as evidenced by the use of the expressions “good personal letter,” “good faith,” and “satisfaction.” The KCNA did not share specifics on the “tasks and orientation” presented by Kim Jong-un, which could be characterized as ironclad guidelines for North Korean negotiators to adhere to in their high-level and working-level talks with the US for the second bilateral summit. But the article’s mention of him setting forth “tasks and orientation” for the summit’s preparations after receiving the report suggests concrete negotiations on specific issues did not take place during Kim Yong-chol’s US visit. Kim Yong-chol went to Washington visit to communicate Kim Jong-un’s “new proposal” “Kim Yong-chol did not go to the US to negotiate,” said a high-ranking source familiar with the situation. “His aim should be seen as communicating to President Trump a number of ideas from Kim Jong-un, including a ‘new proposal’ [related to additional denuclearization measures] and hearing Trump’s response and ideas while determining his ‘true intentions,’” the source added. The source also said, “Chairman Kim’s message about ‘waiting in good faith’ seems to imply that he wants to see the positive message from President Trump [regarding corresponding measures in terms of sanctions and other areas] fleshed out in future North Korea-US discussions.” Photographs of the reporting scene published by the KCNA showed former North Korean Ambassador to Spain Kim Hyok-chol seated behind Kim Yong-chol, with (believed) Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland Vice Chairman Pak Chol behind him. United Front Department Office Director Kim Song-hye and Foreign Ministry North American Affairs Bureau Deputy Director Choe Kang-il were not in attendance. Kim Hyok-chol and Pak Chol appear to have suddenly emerged as working-level officials with important roles in North Korea-US relations going ahead. Kim is believed to be the “new partner” to US State Department Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Biegun mentioned by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pak Chol was a member of the North Korean delegation sent to Singapore for the first North Korea-US summit last June, and sat in on a meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol during the Secretary of State’s third North Korea visit last July. He is known as a “UN expert” who has been deeply involved in bilateral interactions while working as an official for overseas Koreans on the United Front Department’s overseas Korean support committee and from 2010 to 2016 on North Korea’s mission to the UN. By Lee Je-hun, seniors staff writer Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
