Pyongyang willing to give up nuke if regime safety is guaranteed
By Kim Rahn
South and North Koreas have agreed to hold an inter-Korean summit at the truce village of Panmunjeom at the end of April, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.
Pyongyang also expressed intention to hold talks with Washington over denuclearization, saying it could give up its nuclear weapons if the safety of its regime is guaranteed.
President Moon Jae-in's special envoys, who visited Pyongyang for two days and met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, announced these agreements upon returning to Seoul.
"The two Koreas decided to hold the third inter-Korean summit at the Peace House in Panmunjeom at the end of April, and will have meetings of working-level officials to discuss details about it," National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, who led the envoys, said in a press briefing.
"The two Koreas also agreed to set up a hotline between the leaders in an effort to ease military tension and have close discussion. They will have their first phone call before the summit."
North Korea showed its clear willingness for denuclearized Korean Peninsula, and made it clear that it would have no reason to have nuclear armament if military threats to the country are removed and the safety of its regime is guaranteed, according to Chung.
"Kim said denuclearizing the peninsula is teachings from the ancestors (his grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il) and there is no change to it," he said.
The North expressed intention to have candid talks with the United States to discuss denuclearization and to normalize Washington-Pyongyang relations. "The North Korean leader said denuclearization can be the topic of talks with the U.S.," Chung said.
"He did not demand any specific conditions for talks. He said he wants to be recognized as a serious partner of dialogue," Chung said.
Pyongyang clearly said while talks are ongoing, it would not carry out military provocations such as nuclear and ballistic missile tests. It was a change from its earlier stance of threatening military actions in opposition to Seoul and Washington resuming joint military drills, which have been delayed until after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
"Kim said he understands South Korea and the U.S. will have to resume the military exercises in April in a usual scale," Chung said. "We initially thought Kim would raise an issue of the drills and we would have to make him understand (no more delay or cancellation of the drills is possible), but we didn't need to do so."
North Korea also promised it would not use its nuclear or conventional weapons against South Korea.
To maintain the reconciliatory mood created through the Olympics, the North invited South Korean taekwondo demonstration teams and art performance groups to Pyongyang.
Chung, who will head for Washington soon to brief officials there on the outcome of the Pyongyang visit, said he has North Korea's message to deliver to them. "I believe the situation is ripe for Washington-Pyongyang talks."
Chung said Kim seemed to have strong trust in Moon. He delivered Moon's personally written letter to Kim, in which the President expressed hopes for peace on the peninsula. Moon has so far called on Pyongyang to engage in dialogue with Washington to address the nuclear standoff, urging a moratorium on its nuclear and missile tests to gain trust from the U.S. and international community.
Moon, after being briefed on the visit, ordered his aides to make efforts to carry out the agreements fully, a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
Chung and another envoy, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Suh Hoon, will head for Washington as early as Thursday. After the U.S. visit, Chung will go to China and Russia and Suh, Japan.
By Kim Rahn
South and North Koreas have agreed to hold an inter-Korean summit at the truce village of Panmunjeom at the end of April, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.
Pyongyang also expressed intention to hold talks with Washington over denuclearization, saying it could give up its nuclear weapons if the safety of its regime is guaranteed.
President Moon Jae-in's special envoys, who visited Pyongyang for two days and met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, announced these agreements upon returning to Seoul.
"The two Koreas decided to hold the third inter-Korean summit at the Peace House in Panmunjeom at the end of April, and will have meetings of working-level officials to discuss details about it," National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, who led the envoys, said in a press briefing.
"The two Koreas also agreed to set up a hotline between the leaders in an effort to ease military tension and have close discussion. They will have their first phone call before the summit."
North Korea showed its clear willingness for denuclearized Korean Peninsula, and made it clear that it would have no reason to have nuclear armament if military threats to the country are removed and the safety of its regime is guaranteed, according to Chung.
"Kim said denuclearizing the peninsula is teachings from the ancestors (his grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il) and there is no change to it," he said.
The North expressed intention to have candid talks with the United States to discuss denuclearization and to normalize Washington-Pyongyang relations. "The North Korean leader said denuclearization can be the topic of talks with the U.S.," Chung said.
"He did not demand any specific conditions for talks. He said he wants to be recognized as a serious partner of dialogue," Chung said.
Pyongyang clearly said while talks are ongoing, it would not carry out military provocations such as nuclear and ballistic missile tests. It was a change from its earlier stance of threatening military actions in opposition to Seoul and Washington resuming joint military drills, which have been delayed until after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
"Kim said he understands South Korea and the U.S. will have to resume the military exercises in April in a usual scale," Chung said. "We initially thought Kim would raise an issue of the drills and we would have to make him understand (no more delay or cancellation of the drills is possible), but we didn't need to do so."
North Korea also promised it would not use its nuclear or conventional weapons against South Korea.
To maintain the reconciliatory mood created through the Olympics, the North invited South Korean taekwondo demonstration teams and art performance groups to Pyongyang.
Chung, who will head for Washington soon to brief officials there on the outcome of the Pyongyang visit, said he has North Korea's message to deliver to them. "I believe the situation is ripe for Washington-Pyongyang talks."
Chung said Kim seemed to have strong trust in Moon. He delivered Moon's personally written letter to Kim, in which the President expressed hopes for peace on the peninsula. Moon has so far called on Pyongyang to engage in dialogue with Washington to address the nuclear standoff, urging a moratorium on its nuclear and missile tests to gain trust from the U.S. and international community.
Moon, after being briefed on the visit, ordered his aides to make efforts to carry out the agreements fully, a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
Chung and another envoy, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Suh Hoon, will head for Washington as early as Thursday. After the U.S. visit, Chung will go to China and Russia and Suh, Japan.
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