S. Korea, US not discuss Kim-Trump meeting as agenda for their leaders' summit: official
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, left, responds to an inquiry by a lawmaker during a parliamentary audit session of his ministry, Tuesday. Yonhap
South Korea and the United States have not discussed a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as an agenda item for this week's summit talks between their leaders, the unification minister said Tuesday.
Seoul's top point man on North Korea, Chung Dong-young, made the remarks during a parliamentary audit amid speculation that Kim and Trump could meet this week on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering.
President Lee Jae Myung and Trump will hold summit talks Wednesday in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, over lingering security and trade issues. Trump will visit the South on Oct. 29-30 for the APEC gathering.
"I believe there have been no discussions between South Korea and the U.S. based on the presumption of a North Korea-U.S. summit," Chung said, when asked if Seoul and Washington have coordinated agendas for the Lee-Trump summit by including denuclearization or sanctions relief.
The minister said he expects Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North's leader, may issue a statement Tuesday or Wednesday over North Korea's stance on Trump's proposal to meet with Kim.
Trump has made repeated calls signaling his intent to meet with Kim during his trip to South Korea from Oct. 29-30, saying he is "open" to talks with him and describing North Korea as a "sort of nuclear power" at the beginning of his ongoing Asia swing.
He also told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Tokyo on Monday that he "would love to" meet with Kim if the North Korean leader agrees.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Trump's remarks could "definitely" serve as an inducement to bring Pyongyang back to the dialogue table but noted that the North may now be seeking a "bigger bill" from Washington in return.
"Compared with 2017 and 2018, North Korea has secured a military pact with Russia and strengthened its ties with China," Cho said. "Simply put, I think North Korea could be raising its bill for talks with the U.S.," he added.
If realized, it would mark the first meeting between Kim and Trump in more than six years since their surprise brief meeting at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in 2019.