Closer look at North Korean, U.S. delegations meeting in Panmunjom
  • 6 years ago
Staying with those working-level discussions between North Korea and the U.S.
Watchers are saying that the men and women that make up the respective delegations show both sides are serious about ensuring the negotiations are a success.
For a more in-depth look at who they are,... Kim Hyo-sun reports.
The U.S. has expressed its strong intent to make its negotiations with North Korea a success with its veteran diplomat and expert on the North, Sung Kim, leading preparations for a historic meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
Sung Kim, U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, served as Washington's special envoy to the six-party talks from 2008 to 2011,... and also as the U.S. ambassador to South Korea from 2011.
He returned to a more direct role in negotiations as U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy in 2014.

"But at the same time, we will coordinate with our five-party partners to create an opportunity to resume credible, meaningful and serious negotiations on the nuclear issue."

Sung Kim was selected to lead negotiations with the North at such a crucial time despite the fact he served under the Obama administration.
Pundits say it reflects President Trump's strong determination to make the negotiations a success.
Sung Kim's North Korean counterpart at the working-level talks is the regime's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.
She has years of experience and is well-connected within the North Korean hierarchy.
Choe,... the daughter of a former premier joined the Foreign Ministry in mid 1980s and served as an English interpreter.
During the past several years,... she was a spokesperson for the North Korean regime through her various meetings with U.S. experts in Europe and Southeast Asia.

"If the right conditions are made,... we will sit down with the Trump administration for talks."

Choe Kang-il,... who's in charge of North American affairs in the North,... is also part of the North's delegation.
He reportedly made contact with U.S. officials in February while visiting South Korea for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
With the years of experience on both sides,... there's hope they can thrash out a way to make the Singapore summit happen as planned on June 12th.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.
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