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Two Koreas, US hold 'constructive' denuke talks in Sweden

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A black sedan, presumed to carry a North Korean working-level delegation, leaves after ending a dialogue with its U.S. and South Korean counterparts on the outskirt of Stockholm, Monday (local time in Sweden). / Yonhap
A black sedan, presumed to carry a North Korean working-level delegation, leaves after ending a dialogue with its U.S. and South Korean counterparts on the outskirt of Stockholm, Monday (local time in Sweden). / Yonhap

By Lee Min-hyung

The two Koreas and the United States ended their working-level dialogue on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Monday (local time in Sweden), amid signs of an optimistic outcome ahead of an upcoming Washington-Pyongyang summit.

The secret talks started Saturday near the Swedish capital of Stockholm to fine-tune the agenda and schedule for the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. South Korea also took part as a mediator to push for progress in the stalled nuclear disarmament talks between the two sides.

"Constructive talks have been held, covering issues concerning developments on the Korean Peninsula, including confidence building, economic development and long-term engagement," a spokesman for Sweden's foreign ministry said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment in detail on the recent closed-door meetings, but remained optimistic about the dialogue, saying that it has served as momentum for renewed dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.

"We expect the second Washington-Pyongyang summit to take place and for both sides to make actual progress in their ongoing denuclearization talks, at a time when the momentum for the U.S.-North Korea dialogue is being reinforced by their recent high-level and working-level talks," foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said Tuesday.

"The Sweden dialogue involved closed-door meetings, so the participants agreed not to disclose the details during discussions," he said, declining to comment further.

Steve Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, led the Washington delegation for talks with his North Korean counterpart Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.

The delegations from Seoul, Washington and Pyongyang reportedly had three meals a day together in a cordial manner.

If the outcome of the dialogue is satisfactory, expectations are that Washington and Pyongyang will soon announce a fixed date and location for the much-anticipated summit slated for late next month.

Agenda for discussion

Washington and Pyongyang are expected to have narrowed their differences on key agenda issues to be discussed during the upcoming summit.

The U.S. may have demanded the North take additional steps for denuclearization after it fulfils its pledge to dismantle its Yongbyon nuclear facility.

"Chances are the delegation from Washington called on its North Korean counterpart to scrap facilities to manufacture intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM)," said Kim Sang-ki, director of the unification policy unit at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

Washington will then likely promise to grant sanctions exemptions on the North in exchange, according to the expert.

"Above all, North Korea will call for the resumption of operations at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex," he said. "This is because it is directly linked to sanctions imposed on the North by the United Nations Security Council."

Starting from resuming the operations of the complex, Pyongyang may seek to receive further sanctions exemptions from the international organization, the expert said.

"The North Korean delegation is likely to have brought this demand to the recent dialogue, and against a similar backdrop, we cannot rule out the possibility that the North called for the U.S. to agreem to the resumption of tourism trips to Mount Geumgang."

Reflecting on the ongoing reconciliatory momentum between the two countries, they may also have discussed establishing a liaison office during the working-level talks, according to the director.



Lee Min-hyung mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr


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