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| South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / Joint Press Corps |
Kim Jong-un is willing to meet Moon Jae-in more often in 2019
By Park Ji-won
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed his willingness to visit Seoul in the unspecified future in a letter sent to President Moon Jae-in, according to the presidential office Sunday.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters the North Korean leader expressed regret for not being able to make his visit to Seoul this year as he wished and agreed with Moon in Pyongyang. He expressed willingness to pay a visit to the capital city while monitoring the situation, the spokesman added. The presidential official, however, didn't specify when the North Korean leader will be visiting Seoul.
The presidential spokesman said Kim was willing to meet Moon more often in 2019 to discuss peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula as well as to resolve issues related to denuclearization.
The move came after he didn't pay an expected visit to Seoul in December as he had promised to do so in the Pyongyang agreement signed with Moon in September. Expectations were high that Kim will mention the possible visit during his New Year speech which is slated to be held on the first day of next year as well as reconciliatory remarks to boost inter-Korean relations.
It is Kim's first letter to Moon in 10 months. On Feb. 10, Kim's sister Yo-jong, the first vice-director of the North's Workers' Party Central Committee, delivered a letter to Moon at Cheong Wa Dae when she visited the South to participate in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Cheong Wa Dae also said Kim assessed that the two leaders made bold decisions through three meetings and they helped ease the longtime tension between the two Koreas.
The spokesman said the office summarized Kim's two-page letter and paraphrased it in different words and what he said wasn't a direct quote from the North's leader as it is a violation of diplomatic custom. The aide declined to reveal further details about how the letter was delivered to the presidential office for "a security reason." A senior presidential officer said there are many ways to communicate with the North, but the letter was delivered by people this time.
Cheong Wa Dae added that Moon will likely send a response to Kim in a letter sooner.
All eyes and ears are concentrated on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for his New Year speech, with speculation on whether he will say anything to encourage stalled denuclearization North-U.S. talks in response to the softened U.S. stance on the North and further details on his anticipated visit to Seoul.
Kim gives a New Year's Day message on television to provide general directions of the country's policies. Officials in neighboring countries follow the speeches closely to obtain overall information about the country and how it will act on diplomatic issues such as its nuclear weapons program.
The U.S. stance toward North Korea appears to have softened recently before and after an inter-Korean ceremony to mark the launch of railway and road projects involving the North and South. The U.S. granted an exemption on sanctions against the North to give it access to materials needed for the projects.
"We are eager to move to the next stage of discussions with our North Korean partners," U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun told reporters after a meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Dec 21.
Following the shifts, critics expect the North could send more flexible messages about resuming talks with neighboring countries, and especially with the U.S.
The U.S. has been critical of North Korea recently, raising internationally the issue of human rights abuses. The move may be aimed at gaining leverage for their leaders' planned second summit, which has not taken place yet for a number of reasons.
The two countries' high-ranking officials have continued to meet -- without palpable results -- since June when the first historic summit was held in Singapore.
After continuing U.S. pressure on Pyongyang over its human rights violations, including recently the imposition of sanctions on top North Korean officials, Pyongyang had responded by threatening to stop denuclearization efforts.
Another key issue was whether Kim might signal his intent to visit the South soon as he pledged during the Pyongyang summit in September, and send another message on inter-Korean ties.
Kim promised to make a return visit to Seoul within 2018 in a joint statement with President Moon Jae-in unless there were special circumstances.
The conciliatory mood has continued to grow ever since Kim extended a rare olive branch to South Korea in his New Year speech at the start of this year to express his willingness to improve inter-Korean relations. The North sent a delegation, including Kim's sister Kim Yo-jong, to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics held in February.
The leaders of the two Koreas then held inter-Korean summits three times stepping up cooperation in various fields, such as family reunions, railway and road projects and easing military tension.
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