S. Korea's Moon says N. Korea's Kim is committed to "complete denuclearization," summit with Trump
  • 6 years ago
Turning now to the follow-up to the snap inter-Korean summit that happened over the weekend.
In a televised press conference on Sunday,... President Moon Jae-in told the nation that the North Korean leader is still committed to the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula and to a planned meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung reports. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is determined to meet U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

That's South Korean President Moon Jae-in... in the first public account of his surprise second face-to-face with North Korea's Kim on Saturday... to discuss salvaging a canceled summit meeting between Mr. Kim and President Trump.

It's a new twist in the whirlwind of diplomacy over the fate of the North's nuclear arsenal.

"Chairman Kim once again clearly expressed his firm commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He also expressed his intent to bury the history of war and confrontation and cooperate for peace and prosperity through a successful North Korea-U.S summit."

During their time together, President Moon explained the outcome of his meeting with U.S. President Trump in Washington last week.

"I told Chairman Kim that if he decides and puts into practice a complete denuclearization, President Trump is willing for economic cooperation and ending hostile relations."

The South Korean president, who's been a huge proponent of the North Korea, U.S. summit, told reporters at the Blue House that the North Korean leader's main concern is that he needs absolute trust from the U.S. that it will ensure regime guarantee after they completely denuclearize.

But, now that the two sides at least understand what the other wants and are willing to pledge, Mr. Moon expects "the summit will turn out just fine" especially as working level officials from North Korea and the U.S. have resumed talks.

The secret Moon, Kim meeting was the latest dramatic turn in a week of diplomatic ups and downs surrounding the prospects for an unprecedented summit between North Korea and the U.S., and the strongest sign yet that the leaders of the two Koreas are trying to keep the on-again off-again meeting on track.

"The South Korean president referred to his role this time as defusing what he called "little difficulties" surrounding the Kim, Trump summit, but what he's done essentially is setting the stage for a direct trilateral communication line between the three leaders; perhaps transforming his role from the mediator to the negotiator.
Moon Connyoung, Arirang News, the Blue House."
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