“Does North Korea’s Kim Jong-un invite APCE?” With a blunt question… The presidential office provided an important answer.

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Kim Jong-un's Decision to Visit China, Government "Was Aware in Advance"

Kang Hoon-sik, the Chief of the Presidential Office, stated that the government was already aware of Kim Jong-un's decision to attend the "Victory Day" event in China.

During a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the afternoon of the 28th, Chief Kang confirmed the prior knowledge of the government, saying, "I received reports through relevant agencies that this will be announced today."

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Chairman Kim has decided to attend the "Victory Day" event held in China on September 3rd. When asked about the government's stance on this, Chief Kang responded, "Basically, we hope that our relationship with China will develop as a way to contribute to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." He also emphasized that "the channels for dialogue and cooperation between South and North Korea are always open."

Prospects for the South Korea-U.S. Summit and North Korea Relations

Chief Kang connected the recent South Korea-U.S. summit with Kim Jong-un's decision to visit China. He mentioned, "These influences are laid as a base for this South Korea-U.S. summit," adding, "The successful outcomes can be interpreted as an extension of this momentum."

In particular, he assessed that the South Korea-U.S. summit has laid the groundwork for dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea, but regarding whether to invite Chairman Kim to the APEC summit, he expressed a cautious stance, saying, "We need to observe a little more." However, he noted that at least "the U.S. President has shown a willingness to engage in dialogue with Chairman Kim," explaining that it is "not the stage to specify the particular space, method, or timing."

Laying the Groundwork for U.S.-North Korea Dialogue

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Finally, Chief Kang assessed that even the fact that President Trump did not deny a meeting with Chairman Kim "has helped in opening future South-North channels," expressing expectations for the improvement of inter-Korean relations.

Image sources: Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of the Presidential Office / News1, Kim Jong-un / gettyimagesbank

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