'Trump supports Seoul's plan to supply food aid to Pyongyang'

This combination photo shows President Moon Jae-in, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Kim Yoo-chul

President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed ways on how to quickly resume talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear program by maintaining the current momentum for dialogue. Trump also supported Seoul's plan to send food products to the North, Cheong Wa Dae said.

“President Moon had phone talks with U.S. President Donald Trump for 35 minutes from 10:00 p.m., Tuesday (KST) and briefed him on Seoul's position about North Korea's short-range projectiles including tactical-guided weapons over the weekend,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung said in a statement.

The senior presidential aide added the leaders also exchanged opinion about food shortage-related issues in North Korea. “Trump told Moon Seoul's plan to supply food products to North Korea comes in a timely fashion by adding the plan would be a positive measure,” Ko said.

She said the two leaders stayed together in responding North Korea's provocations in a “thoughtful manner.”

North Korea fired some short-range projectiles, believed to have been launched from multiple rocket launchers and a brand-new tactical-guided weapons, into the sea from the east coastal city of Wonsan, Saturday morning.

President Moon also thanked for Trump's Twitter posting after the firing by the North. Trump said he believes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un realizes his country's “great economic potential” and “will do nothing to interfere or end it. Kim knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen.”

“Meanwhile, President Moon and Trump agreed to continue working-level discussions to make the U.S.' leader's visit to Seoul happen,” she said. Trump is planned to travel to Japan in May and June.

The Moon-Trump phone conversations came after the second summit between the North Korean leader Kim and Trump ended without no results due to stark differences on how to define denuclearization.