Nuclear impasse enters new phase as talks resume

대화 시동 거는 남북미… 교착 비핵화 해법 찾나

Exactly one month after the failed North Korea-U.S. Hanoi summit,... the geopolitical atmosphere surrounding the Korean Peninsula seems to be entering a new phase.
North Korea, although partially, made a comeback to the inter-Korean liaison office... while high-level officials of Seoul and Washington are resuming talks on Pyeongyang.
For an in-depth analysis on where we stand and what we can expect on North Korea's nulcear issue,... Dr. Woo Jung-yeop of the Sejong Institute now joins me in the studio.
Thank you for coming in today.
1. It appears Seoul and Washington are getting busy resuming talks on North Korea's nuclear issue.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha departed for Washington this morning to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,... while word has it that Seoul's second deputy chief of the National Security Office Kim Hyun-chong also held close-door talks with his U.S. counterpart. Could a nuclear breakthrough be in the works?
2. Washington's top North Korea negotiator Stephen Biegun has recently visited China and reportedly held talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou. How do you assess the significance of Biegun's visit and what do you think they talked about?
3. Interesting point to note, is that North Korea's foreign policy point man Ri Su-yong was also in Beijing while Biegun was there. This led to speculations that the two might have met for talks. Your thoughts?
4. In a series of Washington's latest hearings, U.S. officials looked firm on the need to continue maximum pressure campaign against North Korea. But President Trump's recent remarks on withdrawing additional North Korea sanctions sound quite the opposite of maximum pressure. How do you assess Washington's current North Korea policy?
5. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a public appearance this week for the first time in about two weeks. He presided over the fifth general meeting of lower-ranking North Korean military officers calling for a "golden age" in "military construction". How do you see his move?
6. Next we have the intrusion at the North Korean embassy in Spain. An anti-North Korea organization called "free Joseon" claimed responsibility for the intrusion, while the Spanish high-court confirmed that one of the intruders had links to the FBI. What kind of confidential information do you think they exchanged?
7. North Korea and the U.S. have remained silent on the matter. Do you think the incident could effect future North Korea-U.S. nuclear negotiations?