North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed the communist regime’s commitment to denuclearization Thursday.
Pyongyang’s state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the reaffirmation occurred — as a meeting with the U.S. hangs in the balance — at an encounter between its leader and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Kim was quoted as saying, “DPRK’s will for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula still remains unchanged and consistent and fixed.”
Kim also called for a settlement in denuclearization through “effective and constructive” dialogue and negotiation using a new method in a new era to meet the interests of each other, according to Yonhap.
The remark may be a hint as to what is inside a mysterious letter from Kim set to be delivered to President Donald Trump. North Korea’s envoy Kim Yong Chol, who held talks with the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the past two days, is supposed to deliver its leader’s letter to Trump on Friday.
“A letter is going to be delivered to me from Kim Jong Un,” Trump told press Thursday morning. “So I look forward to seeing what’s in the letter.”
In the meantime, delegates from Seoul and Pyongyang met in Panmunjom, the truce village, for an inter-Korean dialogue on Friday.
North Korea abruptly put off this inter-Korean discussion of high officials which was originally scheduled to take place May 16. It was rescheduled after President Moon Jae-in and Kim held their second, closed-door, summit last Saturday.
During the 55-minute long discussion between delegates Friday, the two sides exchanged positive ideas on how to carry out the April 27 Panmunjom declaration made by Moon and Kim. North Korea offered joint events to commemorate the very first inter-Korean summit in 2000, organized by then leaders from both Koreas, according to an official from South’s unification ministry. South Korea’s delegate suggested fixing a liaison office within the Kaesong industrial complex.
Through a joint statement, the two Koreas announced that officials will meet in Mount Kumgang for Red Cross talks on June 22 to discuss a reunion event for separated families. The statement included prospects for general-level military talks on June 14 and a meeting on June 18 to settle a joint entrance of the Asian Games.
Both meetings will take place in Panmunjom.
