South Koreans head to North to broker possible US talks

A South Korean delegation is heading to North Korea for rare talks aimed at restarting dialogue between Pyongyang and the US.

کد خبر: ۷۷۹۷۹۸

تاریخ: ۱۴ اسفند ۱۳۹۶ - ۰۹:۴۳

The group will focus on establishing conditions for dialogue between the US and Pyongyang, as well as talks aimed at denuclearisation.

It is not known if they will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the two-day visit.

Relations between the Koreas have warmed following the Olympics.

The delegation includes two minister-level envoys - intelligence chief Suh Hoon and National Security advisor Chung Eui-yong - in an unprecedented move.

They will set out for North Korea on Monday afternoon.

Mr Chung had earlier told a press briefing he would deliver President Moon Jae-in's "resolution to maintain the dialogue and improvement in relations between the South and the North... [and] to denuclearize the Korean peninsula".

"I plan to hold in-depth discussions on various ways to continue talks between not only the South and the North, but also the North and the United States," he added.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the US would be prepared to meet North Korea, but reiterated that Pyongyang would first have to "denuke".

However, North Korea - which has said it wants to talk to the US - said it was "preposterous" for the US to insist on preconditions.

"The US attitude shown after we clarified our intention for dialogue compels us to only think that the US is not interested in resuming... dialogue," said the foreign ministry in a statement reported by state media.

It's remains unclear who would represent the US in any such meeting.

The top US diplomat on North Korea Joseph Yun announced his decision to retire earlier last week, a departure which could hamper the Trump administration.

Analysts believe that Mr Yun was very much in favour of compromise and diplomacy with North Korea.

The relationship between the US and North Korea were particularly tense before the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, with both countries repeatedly threatening each other with total destruction.

But the Games, the outcome of the first inter-Korean talks in two years, saw both the two countries march together under a single flag.

The question now being asked is whether North Korea's participation in the Paralympics, starting this week, can lead to an even bigger breakthrough.

The US has distanced itself from the North Korean overtures during the Games.

US Vice-President Mike Pence has said there is "no daylight" between the US and its regional allies on the need to "continue to isolate North Korea economically and diplomatically until they abandon their nuclear and ballistic missile programme.