Spy agency chief said “North, US clashed over denuke talks”

National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon reads documents before a meeting at the Intelligence Committee at the National Assembly, Tuesday. / Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

The country's spy agency chief said the reason behind the cancellation of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to North Korea this week was that the two countries failed to narrow their differences on priorities between denuclearization and the declaration of an end to the Korean War, said lawmakers who were briefed by him in a closed-door meeting.

According to Rep. Kim Min-ki of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Rep. Lee Eun-jae of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party, members of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Suh Hoon said that the cancellation was because the U.S. and North Korea had clashed over the denuclearization issue.

"Suh said the sudden cancellation of Pompeo's visit to the North, as the NIS understands it, was because the North asked for the adoption of a declaration ending the war as a prerequisite while the U.S. asked for a list of nuclear weapon firsts," said Lee told reporters after the meeting.

Pompeo said last Thursday that he would visit Pyongyang this week to continue negotiations toward the denuclearization of North Korea. However, U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally canceled the trip a day later, blaming China's lack of support for negotiations and the deepening trade friction with Beijing as the reason for canceling the trip.

Regarding opening a liaison office in Gaeseong in the North, Suh was quoted as saying, "the liaison office is aimed at facilitating deep and regular contact between the two Koreas. It will also help spur communications for North Korea's denuclearization. About 20 to 30 people will likely work there."

Kim added that the NIS was clear that opening the office there was not a violation of sanctions against the North.

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