"I was also informed of the schedule to be announced today… The channels for inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation remain open."
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporters Lim Hyeong-seop and Ko Dong-wook = The Blue House stated on the 28th regarding the announcement of Chairman Kim Jong-un's plan to attend the military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (Victory Day) on the 3rd of next month,"The government was aware of this content in the photo."
At a press conference held at the Blue House in Yongsan on the same day, Chief of Staff to the President Kang Hoon-sik said,"I was aware of (Chairman Kim's plan to visit China) through relevant organizations, and I was also informed this morning that it would be announced today."
Director Kang said,"This Korea-U.S. summit was also fundamentally influenced by these events," and added,"I would like to say that there is room to interpret the parts that went well (in the discussions at the Korea-U.S. summit) as an extension of this trend."
Earlier, during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, President Lee Jae-myung said,"Please bring peace to the Korean Peninsula. Please meet with Kim Jong-un as well." President Trump responded,"I will pursue it. I would like to meet you this year."
Some are speculating that a meeting between the North Korea-US leaders could be held at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Gyeongju at the end of October this year.
Director Kang simply explained,"We are not yet at a stage where we can determine the space, method, or timing (of North Korea-US talks)."
However, Director Kang emphasized,"At the very least, didn't President Trump demonstrate a willingness to talk to Chairman Kim? The mere fact that he didn't deny the possibility of dialogue will help open channels between the two Koreas in the future."
He also responded to the question,"Isn't this a time when we need to be cautious about the closer ties between North Korea, China, and Russia?" by saying,"Fundamentally, we hope that our relationship with China will develop in the direction of denuclearization and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," adding,"The channel for dialogue and cooperation between the South and the North (for this purpose) is always open."
