By Kim Bo-eun
A working group on North Korea, comprised of South Korean and U.S. security officials and diplomats, will meet regularly, possibly twice a month, a senior foreign ministry official said Thursday.
The meetings reportedly could be in person or via video conferencing. The foreign ministry said details have not yet been fixed. The group had its first meeting earlier this week in Washington, D.C.
"We hope once the working group meetings continue to be held regularly, it will provide a means for closer consultations over issues of interest of the countries, including the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean relations," foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said.
Regarding the working group, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier said Washington wants progress in denuclearization and inter-Korean relations to go hand in hand.
However, there have been concerns here that Washington may increase its intervention in Seoul's policy toward Pyongyang through the working group.
Meanwhile, South Korea's nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon who leads the meetings with his U.S. counterpart Stephen Biegun said technical discussions with Washington remain part of Seoul's plan to inspect sections of the North's rail infrastructure for a project to connect train networks.
Spokesman Noh said "This means discussions remain on a very small technical matter, and as much as the U.S. stated its full support for the inter-Korean railway inspection project, we will make utmost diplomatic efforts so the inspections can begin in the near future."
Most major inter-Korean plans have been put on hold amid slow progress in North Korea's denuclearization. The rail inspection is one of the key projects. The Koreas had agreed to hold a groundbreaking ceremony to connect their railways within this year.
Pyongyang and Washington have yet to hold a postponed high-level meeting, where they are expected to discuss the denuclearization steps and corresponding measures that will be taken, to lay out grounds for a second summit between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea.
A working group on North Korea, comprised of South Korean and U.S. security officials and diplomats, will meet regularly, possibly twice a month, a senior foreign ministry official said Thursday.
The meetings reportedly could be in person or via video conferencing. The foreign ministry said details have not yet been fixed. The group had its first meeting earlier this week in Washington, D.C.
"We hope once the working group meetings continue to be held regularly, it will provide a means for closer consultations over issues of interest of the countries, including the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean relations," foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said.
Regarding the working group, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier said Washington wants progress in denuclearization and inter-Korean relations to go hand in hand.
However, there have been concerns here that Washington may increase its intervention in Seoul's policy toward Pyongyang through the working group.
Meanwhile, South Korea's nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon who leads the meetings with his U.S. counterpart Stephen Biegun said technical discussions with Washington remain part of Seoul's plan to inspect sections of the North's rail infrastructure for a project to connect train networks.
Spokesman Noh said "This means discussions remain on a very small technical matter, and as much as the U.S. stated its full support for the inter-Korean railway inspection project, we will make utmost diplomatic efforts so the inspections can begin in the near future."
Most major inter-Korean plans have been put on hold amid slow progress in North Korea's denuclearization. The rail inspection is one of the key projects. The Koreas had agreed to hold a groundbreaking ceremony to connect their railways within this year.
Pyongyang and Washington have yet to hold a postponed high-level meeting, where they are expected to discuss the denuclearization steps and corresponding measures that will be taken, to lay out grounds for a second summit between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea.
