Time is not ripe for inter-Korean summit: President Moon

President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook watch a short-track speeding skating race at Gangneung Ice Arena, Saturday. / Yonhap

By Lee Min-hyung

President Moon Jae-in said Saturday, time is not ripe yet for an inter-Korean summit.

“(The public) appears to be in a rush for a possible summit,” Moon told reporters while visiting PyeongChang to encourage Korean athletes competing in the Winter Olympics.

“There is a growing sense of sympathy for the need to hold Washington-Pyongyang dialogue,” he said. “We expect the ongoing thaw in inter-Korean relations to pave the way for denuclearization talks between the U.S. and the North.”

Moon, however, evaded questions on the government’s plans to deal with the recent summit proposal from the North.

He remained cautious over the matter, as he hopes to take full advantage of a rare sign for reconciliation from the North.

“The Winter Olympics has eased tension on the Korean Peninsula,” he said. A series of inter-Korean sports engagements - including the joint women’s ice hockey team - also left a strong impression on the global audience, Moon said.

“As the Olympics have brought a significant leap forward in inter-Korean relations, we believe the bilateral ties will improve further,” he said.

The reconciliatory gesture from the North is apparently raising the likelihood of Washington-Pyongyang dialogue, with the U.S. toning down its aggressive rhetoric against the regime.

Before the Olympics, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence underlined his PyeongChang visit is aimed mainly at stopping the regime from “hijacking” the event. Pence also said he “deliberately ignored” Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, during the Olympics, expressing his strong anti-Pyongyang stance.

But a peaceful mood in recent days is spreading on the peninsula, with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson noting Saturday that his country is open for dialogue with the regime. He said the country is waiting for messages from the regime over possible talks on denuclearization.

North Korea has yet to hint at the possibility of dialogue.

The South Korean government is in a position to do its best to help Pyongyang hold peace talks with Washington before the possible inter-Korean summit.