Let's start with the whirlwind of diplomacy taking place around the world to arrange two monumental summits.
North Korea's foreign minister Ri Yong-ho is now in Sweden to meet with his European counterpart... and discuss "issues of mutual concerns."
And at the same time, Seoul's foreign minister is in Washington... to share the recent progress on holding Washington-Pyongyang talks.
Are top diplomats of Seoul and Pyongyang speeding up efforts for U.S.-North Korea talks?
Our Oh Jung-hee starts us off.
North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong-ho's two-day stay in Sweden... has led to much speculation over whether Pyongyang is making arrangements for talks with the United States.
That... as Sweden -- which, unlike the U.S., has an embassy in North Korea -- has been considered as Washington's channel of diplomacy with Pyongyang.
Sweden's foreign ministry has said... Ri's visit will focus mainly on Sweden's consular responsibilities in North Korea... and Pyongyang's state media reported... Ri and his Swedish counterpart Margot Wallstrom will be exchanging views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern.
While there's speculation that preparations for Washington-Pyongyang talks could be underway in Stockholm,... the U.S. State Department has denied it,... adding it has not sent any delegation to Sweden for contact with North Korea.

Meanwhile, South Korea's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha is in the U.S., to lay the groundwork for a string of summit talks between Seoul, Washington, and Pyongyang.
Her visit comes after U.S. President Donald Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson from his post,... replacing him with former intelligence chief Mike Pompeo.
Kang met with U.S. lawmakers as well as the U.S. President's daughter, Ivanka Trump,... to discuss the situation on the Korean peninsula.

"It was a very deep discussion. They showed much interest in issues on the Korean peninsula."

While inter-Korean summit talks are scheduled for April... and Washington-Pyongyang talks for May,... there are suggestions that the leaders of Seoul and Washington could meet face-to-face... between the two events.
With a hectic schedule over the coming two months,... Seoul and Pyongyang's top diplomats have lots of work ahead.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.