Unification chief visits US for meeting with Pompeo

By Lee Min-hyung

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon kicked off Tuesday his five-day U.S. trip Tuesday to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and discuss denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

Cho and Pompeo will share their views on the ongoing denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang and seek a breakthrough in the stalled dialogue.

In particular, Cho will likely ask for assistance from the U.S. before carrying out a series of planned inter-Korean economic projects. As the North is under heavy sanctions from the international society, South Korea has so far faced setbacks in pushing ahead with inter-Korean projects such as the railway reconnection.

On a U.S. visit, Cho plans to visit Washington, D.C., and New York for in-depth discussions with U.S. government officials and experts on ways to enhance inter-Korean relations and bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula.

It has been about four years since a South Korean unification minister had visited the U.S. last. Cho's planned schedule includes visits to the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Korea Society there.

“Cho will meet with U.S. government officials and Congress members to share the status quo on inter-Korean relations and seek breakthroughs on denuclearizing the peninsula,” a unification ministry official said.

His U.S. visit came at a time when Washington and Pyongyang reach a deadlock in their dialogue momentum, with both sides making no tangible progress in their denuclearization talks following the June 12 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.