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'Seoul's participation in Stockholm talks is big progress'

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Moon Chung-in, right, a special adviser on foreign affairs and national security to President Moon Jae-in, speaks during a meeting with Korean reporters at the South Korean embassy in Cairo on Jan. 17 (KST). Yonhap
Moon Chung-in, right, a special adviser on foreign affairs and national security to President Moon Jae-in, speaks during a meeting with Korean reporters at the South Korean embassy in Cairo on Jan. 17 (KST). Yonhap

By Kim Yoo-chul

South Korea's participation in talks with North Korea and the United States, recently held in Stockholm, was "big progress" for the South's diplomacy, according to presidential security adviser Moon Chung-in.

"North Korea allowed South Korea to join talks concerning developments on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said at a forum in Paris, Tuesday. "This has never happened in the past as South Korea had been excluded from nuclear disarmament discussions. This is big progress.

"I have no idea about the outcome of the latest talks in Stockholm. But one thing is certain, both U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have a firm commitment to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem through open dialogue."

Mentioning the old Winston Churchill phrase, "to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war," the adviser said Trump and Kim both acknowledged the importance of not just speaking out against conditions but seeing substantial progress.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun and South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon took part in the discussions, which were held over three days at a heavily guarded resort north of the Swedish capital.

Representatives of the U.S. and North Korea left Stockholm early Tuesday (KST), though details on the outcome of the meetings are yet to emerge.

Diplomatic sources in Seoul said the talks covered issues on how to build "mutual trust" between the U.S. and North Korea, with the South Korean representative playing a "coordinating role."

"North Korea remains very adaptive to respond to the ongoing economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council," Moon said. "Many analysts think that the North's leader Kim sees the sanctions as a hurdle to the economic prosperity he wants for his regime," adding the reason the North negotiated was based on Kim Jong-un's "political decision" to give more weight to talks.

The adviser claimed Kim will tell Trump of his detailed measures for the elimination of its nuclear program and Trump is set to grant some sanctions relief and offer security guarantees.

"How to permanently and verifiably dismantle North Korea's nuclear program will be the main agenda at the upcoming summit," Moon said in a separate meeting with South Korean reporters last week in Cairo, Egypt.

Assuming the meeting happens, the most likely outcome would be a "smaller deal."

"What Trump has in mind is to offer concessions relating to economic benefits if certain conditions are met," Moon said, adding a full withdrawal of the U.S. military from South Korea is unlikely.

A smaller deal means North Korea abandons its key nuclear test sites, including one on Yongbyon, but holds on to some of its nuclear capabilities, either present or potential. In exchange, Pyongyang has sanctions removed and receives a massive infusion of foreign aid. The Koreas, the U.S. and China could also sign a peace treaty.

The adviser said Kim's promised visit to Seoul could happen only after the second Kim-Trump meeting achieves results on the nuclear standoff.
North Korea's Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea for South Korean affairs, Kim Yong-chol, center, leaves a Washington, D.C., hotel after participating in a meeting there with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Jan. 19 (KST). AP-Yonhap
North Korea's Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea for South Korean affairs, Kim Yong-chol, center, leaves a Washington, D.C., hotel after participating in a meeting there with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Jan. 19 (KST). AP-Yonhap

"Reunification of the peninsula will come based on agreements between key stakeholders in the nuclear disarmament talks for a lasting peace on the peninsula," Moon said. "Reunification without peace will cost a lot."


Kim Yoo-chul yckim@koreatimes.co.kr


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