S. Korea, US speed up talks for post-Hanoi summit strategies

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha arrives at Incheon International Airport, Sunday, from Washington, D.C., where she held talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Yonhap

By Lee Min-hyung

Kim Hyun-jong, second deputy chief of the National Security Office

South Korea and the United States are speeding up their talks to revive stalled dialogue momentum with North Korea following the failure of the Hanoi summit.

On Saturday, Kim Hyun-jong, second deputy chief of the National Security Office (NSC), left for Washington, D.C., for talks with his U.S. counterpart Charles Kupperman and other ranking security officials there.

Kim's visit is aimed at shaping 솓 agenda for the upcoming summit between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, slated for April 11. Both leaders are expected to focus on sharing their views on the recent deadlock in denuclearization talks with the North.

Upon arriving at Dulles International Airport, Kim hinted at the possibility of sending a South Korean special envoy to the North for mediating nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

“It is a good idea for the two Koreas to meet with each other after the South mediates details with our ally (the U.S.),” Kim told reporters.

The remark means the South may send a special delegation to the North to bring the regime back to the nuclear dialogue table with the U.S., and the process will be carried out after thorough negotiations with the ally.

Kim, however, declined to comment on details over what agenda will possibly be covered at the upcoming summit between Moon and Trump.

On Friday (local time in Washington), South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss post-Hanoi summit strategies.

“The most important thing after the Hanoi summit is to resume talks between the U.S. and the North,” Kang said in a meeting with correspondents after the meeting with Pompeo.

“Pompeo shared the same view on keeping diplomatic efforts with the South to generate tangible achievements on denuclearization (of the Korean Peninsula) despite no detailed agreements being reached during the Hanoi summit."

On Friday, Trump reaffirmed his determination not to impose additional sanctions on the North for now.

“I did not think that additional sanctions at this time were necessary,” he told reporters at his resort in Florida. “It doesn't mean I won't put them on later.” He added he hopes to continue maintaining a good relationship with Kim Jong-un.