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U.S.-N. Korea working-level talks to take place early next month

U.S.-N. Korea working-level talks to take place early next month

Posted January. 31, 2019 07:41,   

Updated January. 31, 2019 07:41

한국어

Working-level negotiations to prepare for a second U.S.-North Korea summit is said to be held around February 4 at the border truce village of Panmunjom.

Politico reported on Tuesday (local time) citing a source that is well aware of a U.S.-North Korea summit that U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun will meet his North Korean counterpart at Panmunjom around February 4 to coordinate the details of the second summit, which is to take place late February. North Korea's former Ambassador to Spain Kim Hyok Chol, who is mentioned as representative Biegun’s counterpart, is believed to have become the new interlocutor to lead negotiations with Washington.

Hanoi or Danang of Vietnam is brought up as the venue for the Trump-Kim summit. In particular, Danang is rapidly emerging as the site for the summit as it is not only advantageous in security but also reflects President Trump’s taste, who likes vacation spots. The U.S.-North Korea working-level negotiation team is expected to meet several times at Panmunjom as they did for the first summit.

Ahead of the first U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore last June, the negotiation team from the both countries led by U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim and North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met six times for some two weeks at Panmunjom to discuss the details of the summit including agendas and protocol.

Mr. Biegun will make a speech on the U.S. efforts on North Korea’s denuclearization at Stanford University's Walter Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center on Thursday before visiting Korea for the working-level negotiation.


wizi@donga.com