What did Chung Dong-young say is the first step to stopping North Korea’s nuclear program?

Chung said a meeting between the United States and North Korea is the first gateway to stopping the program. He added that the goal is in the best interest of everyone involved and said Seoul should support the talks.

What did Trump and Kim Yo-jong say about possible U.S.-North Korea dialogue?

Trump said he still has good relations with Kim Jong-un and said he will meet him later this year, but he gave no further details. Kim Yo-jong said she was not aware of any communication between the two leaders and appeared to separate Trump’s personal rapport with Kim from North Korea’s broader policy stance.

What peace process did the ministry and Lee Jae Myung propose for the Korean Peninsula?

The ministry said the top priority is formally ending the war and establishing a peace regime so the two sides do not have to fight each other. Lee Jae Myung also proposed talks on ending the war and building a peace regime, while Chung said the momentum should eventually include South Korea and China as well.

Unification minister says US-N. Korea dialogue key first step to halting Pyongyang's nuclear program

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Summary

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang are the first step toward halting North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. He made the remarks in Seoul as speculation grew that U.S. President Donald Trump could revive personal diplomacy with Kim Jong-un. Chung said the process should eventually expand into a framework that includes South Korea and China. The ministry said formally ending the war and building a peace regime are the top priorities.

Key Facts

Trump said Wednesday that he maintains good relations with Kim Jong-un and would meet the North Korean leader later this year, without giving details.
Kim Yo-jong said she was not aware of any communication between her brother and Trump and called the reduction in South Korea-U.S. military exercises unworthy of comment.
The 1950-1953 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
President Lee Jae Myung proposed in his Liberation Day address that the two Koreas begin talks on ending the long-running war and build a peace regime on the peninsula.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 20, 2026 4:09 pm KST

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young / Yonhap

Direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang are the first step toward halting North Korea's nuclear weapons program, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Thursday.

He made the remarks while meeting with reporters at the government complex in Seoul, amid speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump might seek to rekindle his personal diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which produced three bilateral meetings during his first term.

"The first gateway to stopping North Korea's nuclear program is a meeting between the two sides, and we should work hard to support it," he said.

"Halting the program is in the best interest of everyone involved," Chung added.

Trump reiterated Wednesday (U.S. time) that he maintains good relations with Kim, and said he will meet the North Korean leader later this year, without providing further details.

"Now is the time for the U.S. and North Korea, and time for Trump and Kim," Chung said, adding he hoped "the momentum between the two sides gets on track and expands into a framework" that eventually includes South Korea and China as well.

Chung said it was "up to each person to interpret" the statement by Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's powerful sister, released late Wednesday, in which she appeared to dismiss Trump's dialogue overture by calling the reduction in South Korea-U.S. military exercises "unworthy of comment."

While she said she was "not aware of" any communication between her brother and Trump, she said "our head of state has good memories and feelings about Trump personally."

The comment appeared to separate Kim's personal rapport with Trump from North Korea's broader view of U.S. policy as hostile, leaving room for future engagement.

"The top priority is formally ending the war and establishing a peace regime, so the two sides do not have to fight each other," the ministry said in response to the statement.

The 1950-1953 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

In his Liberation Day address Saturday, President Lee Jae Myung proposed that the two Koreas begin talks on ending their long-running war and build a peace regime on the peninsula.

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