Moon speaks with Trump, discusses envoys' visit to N.Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday held telephonic talks with US President Donald Trump about his special envoys' visit to North Korea, officials said.

Moon and Trump talked over phone for around 50 minutes regarding the scheduled travel by Moon's special emissaries to Pyongyang, according to the presidential Blue House, Xinhua reported.

The five-member special delegation, led by Chung Eui-yong, top national security adviser of the Blue House, planned to visit Pyongyang on Wednesday morning and return home on the same day.

Moon and Trump exchanged opinions about the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including the denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington after the North Korea-US summit on June 12, and the upcoming third summit between Moon and North Korean top leader Kim Jong-un.

Moon and Trump agreed to maintain close consultations and cooperation at every level between the two sides, the Blue House said.

During their Pyongyang visit, Moon's special envoys would discuss with the North Korean side a detailed schedule and agenda for the third Moon-Kim summit, which the two Koreas agreed to hold in Pyongyang before the end of September.

The South Korean leader explained in detail to Trump about the dispatch of his special envoys to Pyongyang, which aimed to consult on ways to build permanent peace on the peninsula through complete denuclearization as well as to prepare for the third summit with the North Korean top leader.

Trump told Moon that he sincerely wished for Moon's special envoys to bear a good result, asking Moon to inform him of the outcome of the special envoys' travel to Pyongyang.

Moon said now is a significant period for settling peace on the peninsula, which would go together with complete denuclearization, stressing that improved inter-Korean relations and eased tensions on the peninsula will contribute to the peninsula's complete denuclearization and the settlement of a lasting peace regime.

Trump expressed his sincere wish that the upcoming inter-Korean summit would bear a good result to enhance ties between the two Koreas, implement the agreements reached at the June 12 North Korea-US summit in Singapore, and help future dialogues.

Moon and Trump agreed to review their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, scheduled for later this month, to deeply consult on future strategy and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula issues.

--IANS

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