S. Korean president's special envoys treated to Kim Jong-un hosted dinner; Outcome "not disappointing" says Seoul
- 6 years ago
The South Korean president's special envoys in North Korea for a historic two-day visit got in touch with the Blue House early this morning to update the South on their dinner meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last night.
Our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung is live on the phone for us to give us the details. Connyoung, what have we learned so far?
Contrary to the high-level North Korean delegation's visit to the South early last month, South Korean media were not given access to travel with the senior level South Korean special envoys to the North... so, we've had to rely on the Blue House to bring us up to speed on the latest in Pyongyang.
What we've learned this morning is that South Korean president's special envoys led by the National Security Council chief Chung Eui-yong and represented National Intelligence chief Suh Hoon were treated to dinner hosted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the headquarters of the North's ruing Workers' Party.
The very first meeting/dinner between North Korea's Kim and the South Koreans lasted more than four hours... and it's probably safe to believe that the special envoys delivered President Moon's letter to the North Korean leader during this time.
Blue House Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom noted that it marked the first time for the Kim regime to invite special envoys from the South to the headquarters of its powerful ruling party.
The two sides reportedly agreed on certain conditions which the Blue House declined to unveil at this point... saying the National Security Director-led delegation will brief the press when they return home later this evening. But, senior Blue House officials have assessed... the outcome of last night's historic talks - not disappointing.
Any word from the North Korean side? How are they assessing last night's meeting?
North Korea's state media reported in a dispatch that its leader held an "openhearted talk" with South Korean President Moon Jae-in's envoys Monday evening... adding the North Korean leader expressed his desire to "write a new history of national reunificaiton" during their dinner last night.
The state media also said its leader exchanged views with the South's special envoys when they relayed President Moon's intentions for an inter-Korean summit and made a satisfactory agreement.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent an invitation for the South Korean leader to visit Pyongyang for a summit through his sister who traveled to South Korea last month as his special envoy.
We will have to wait until the ten-member South Korean delegation flies back to the South later this evening to find out the details of the trip, the first known high-level visit by South Korean officials to the North in about a decade.
Our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung is live on the phone for us to give us the details. Connyoung, what have we learned so far?
Contrary to the high-level North Korean delegation's visit to the South early last month, South Korean media were not given access to travel with the senior level South Korean special envoys to the North... so, we've had to rely on the Blue House to bring us up to speed on the latest in Pyongyang.
What we've learned this morning is that South Korean president's special envoys led by the National Security Council chief Chung Eui-yong and represented National Intelligence chief Suh Hoon were treated to dinner hosted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the headquarters of the North's ruing Workers' Party.
The very first meeting/dinner between North Korea's Kim and the South Koreans lasted more than four hours... and it's probably safe to believe that the special envoys delivered President Moon's letter to the North Korean leader during this time.
Blue House Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom noted that it marked the first time for the Kim regime to invite special envoys from the South to the headquarters of its powerful ruling party.
The two sides reportedly agreed on certain conditions which the Blue House declined to unveil at this point... saying the National Security Director-led delegation will brief the press when they return home later this evening. But, senior Blue House officials have assessed... the outcome of last night's historic talks - not disappointing.
Any word from the North Korean side? How are they assessing last night's meeting?
North Korea's state media reported in a dispatch that its leader held an "openhearted talk" with South Korean President Moon Jae-in's envoys Monday evening... adding the North Korean leader expressed his desire to "write a new history of national reunificaiton" during their dinner last night.
The state media also said its leader exchanged views with the South's special envoys when they relayed President Moon's intentions for an inter-Korean summit and made a satisfactory agreement.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent an invitation for the South Korean leader to visit Pyongyang for a summit through his sister who traveled to South Korea last month as his special envoy.
We will have to wait until the ten-member South Korean delegation flies back to the South later this evening to find out the details of the trip, the first known high-level visit by South Korean officials to the North in about a decade.