Subscribe
E-Paper
By Lee Min-hyung
 |
| President Moon Jae-in |
 |
| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un |
Cheong Wa Dae has stated that it would welcome a possible summit this year; but chances that this can be arranged in the next couple of weeks are slim given that the North has yet to confirm Kim's visit to Seoul.
The ongoing deadlock in denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang is also pressuring Kim, as he would have to give details on the timeline and roadmap for his country's denuclearization if he makes the trip.
In recent months, North Korea has complained that the U.S. has not taken "reciprocal steps" in exchange for the regime's ongoing moves for denuclearization, including the destruction of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in May.
Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to the South, also shared a dim view on Kim's potential Seoul visit this year.
"Kim Jong-un appears to have not made a decision on the Seoul visit in that he has not met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to disclose the schedule," he wrote on his blog Sunday.
"Under diplomatic custom between Beijing and Pyongyang, Kim should have met with Xi to give prior notice for an inter-Korean summit," he said. Before a critical event takes place on the Korean Peninsula, North Korean leaders typically meet with Chinese leaders to discuss diplomatic strategies, according to Thae.
On top of that, top aides to the North Korean leader are on overseas trips, which reinforces the unlikelihood of Kim visiting Seoul this year, the defector said.
"If Kim decided to visit Seoul, the relevant ministries would go all-out to prepare for the summit," he said. But Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho is visiting Mongolia and ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam has not returned home from a tour of Latin America, according to Thae.
"This proves North Korea is not making preparations for Kim's visit to Seoul," he said.
On Sunday, presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom also said the South does not have any plans to urge the North Korean leader to visit.
"Nothing official has been confirmed over Kim's possible Seoul visit," the presidential spokesman wrote in a text message to reporters. "The presidential office will not rush to urge Kim to visit here, as various circumstances should be taken into account."
On Monday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a weekly meeting with top presidential aides after a six-week-long hiatus due to his overseas diplomatic schedule, which included the G-20 Summit in Argentina.
During the meeting, President Moon did not comment on the growing media coverage of Kim's potential visit to Seoul this year as agreed upon during the inter-Korean summit in September.
In the agreement at the Pyongyang summit, Kim said he would visit Seoul no later than the end of the year to reciprocate Moon's three-day trip to the North's capital.
Last week, Moon opened the possibility of Kim's possible visit, but underlined that the timing did not matter and what was more important was South Korea's continued role to encourage the North to engage in the denuclearization talks with the U.S.
