South Korea's Moon plans to send envoy to North Korea soon

Image
AP Seoul
Last Updated : Mar 02 2018 | 8:05 AM IST
South Korean President Moon Jae-in plans to send a special envoy to North Korea soon to set up more meaningful dialogue between the rivals that Seoul hopes will eventually include discussions over disarming the North of nuclear weapons.
Seoul's presidential office said Moon revealed the plans to President Donald Trump in a 30-minute telephone conversation today. The office did not say how Trump reacted to the plans.
North Korean officials visiting the South for the recently concluded Pyeongchang Winter Olympics have said leader Kim Jong Un wants to hold a summit with Moon and that North Korea aims to open talk with the United States.
North Korea sent around 500 people to the Olympics, including high-level officials, athletes, artists, journalists and cheerleaders in part of conciliatory gestures with the South that brought a temporary lull to tensions surrounding the North's nuclear program.
Experts say the North's outreach over the Olympics shows its ambition to break out of diplomatic isolation and pressure by improving relations with the South and using that as a bridge to approach the United States.
Visiting as a special envoy, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un, told Moon that her brother wishes to meet Moon in North Korea soon.
Kim Yong Chol, a vice chairman of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party Central Committee, during his talks with Moon said the North has "ample intentions" for holding talks with the United States.
Moon has yet to firmly commit to a summit, saying that the Koreas must first create an "environment" for that to happen.
Trump has responded to North Korea's overture by saying that talks with North Korea will happen only if conditions are right.
The US has said North Korea must make a clear commitment to eliminating its nuclear and missile programs before any talks can take place.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Mar 02 2018 | 8:05 AM IST

Next Story