Kim Jong-un, Trump to meet in May

National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, left, briefs U.S. President Donald Trump at the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, D.C, Friday, (KST) on his visit early this week to Pyongyang and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s offer to have talks with Trump over denuclearization. Trump accepted the offer and said he would meet Kim by May. / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae

Two leaders to discuss 'permenant denuclearization in historic summit'

By Yi Whan-woo

U.S. President Donald Trump accepted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s offer to meet to talk over denuclearization as soon as possible, according to South Korean and U.S. officials, Friday.

National Security Office (NSO) chief Chung Eui-yong, South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s envoy to Pyongyang who is now visiting Washington, said Trump wants to see Kim by May to discuss the North’s “permanent denuclearization.”

If the summit is realized, Trump will become the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader.

The rare agreement for a summit comes after a nuclear standoff between Washington and Pyongyang and the latter’s abrupt shift from military provocations to peace overtures since January.

“I told President Trump that, in our meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he is committed to denuclearization,” Chung said in a media briefing at the White House after briefing Trump and top U.S officials on the South Korean delegation’s meeting with the North’s young leader from Monday to Tuesday.

“Kim pledged North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests. And he expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible,” the NSO chief said. “President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong-un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization.”

In a separate press briefing in Seoul, Cheong Wa Dae said Chung delivered Kim’s message to Trump that “a big achievement may be possible if he meets and talks with President Trump.”

“Chung asked Trump not to miss this chance,” presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

In response, the White House said Trump’s meeting with Kim would take place “at a place and time to be determined.”

Some diplomatic sources speculated the summit may be held in Pyongyang, while others said Kim may want to fly to Washington, D.C.

But both Seoul and Washington took a cautious approach to the North’s peace offensive and promised to continue sanctions on the country for a while, as skepticism lingers that Kim’s olive branch is a mere strategy to loosen international sanctions to continue its nuclear development.

Noting this, Chung said there may not be easing of sanctions until denuclearization is completed.

“The Republic of Korea, the United States and our partners stand together in insisting that we not repeat the mistakes of the past, and that the pressure will continue until North Korea matches its words with concrete actions.”

Trump tweeted shortly after meeting with Chung that “great progress” is being made.

“Kim Jong-un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean representatives, not just a freeze,” he tweeted. “Great progress is being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached.”

President Moon anticipates talks for Pyongyang’s denuclearization be “in full swing” once Trump and Kim meet.

He said the planned U.S.-North Korea summit will be a “historic milestone” for peace on the peninsula and that Trump’s leadership will “be praised by every international citizen.”

“Our government will take this opportunity very preciously,” the presidential spokesman quoted Moon as saying.

Cheong Wa Dae said presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok will lead a committee to prepare for an inter-Korean summit planned in late April at the South Korean side of the truce village of Panmunjeom.

This will be the third inter-Korean summit following the 2000 and 2007 ones. It will also be the first cross-border summit on South Korean soil.

Japanese Prime Shinzo Abe said he welcomes the surprise announcement of a summit between the U.S. and North Korean leaders, hailing it as “the achievement of cooperation between Japan, the U.S, and South Korea to maintain great pressure.”

“There is no change in policy for Japan and the U.S.,” he added.

The Moon administration plans to brief all relevant parties, including Japan, China and Russia, on the envoys’ meeting with Kim.

Suh will visit Japan from Monday to Tuesday and brief Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono accordingly.