S. Korea-US-Japan chief negotiators to discuss N. Korea’s denuke

The South Korean government will seek to resume inter-Korean dialogue that remains stalled again after Pyongyang’s shutting of inter-Korean hotlines through a slew of events this week, including a meeting among South Korea, U.S. and Japan’s chief negotiators for North Korea’s denuclearization, and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to Seoul.

Noh Kyu-duk, South Korea’s chief negotiator at the foreign affairs ministry, will meet with Sung Kim, U.S. special envoy for North Korea, and Takehiro Funakoshi, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at the Japanese foreign ministry, to discuss ways to resume talks on Pyongyang’s denuclearization in Japan on Tuesday. Prior to leaving for Japan, Noh told reporters, “I expect we will have productive talks to make progress in Korean Peninsula peace process.”

On two successive meetings between South Korea and U.S. chief negotiators last month, Noh said, “It is a token of sincere efforts by the two governments to open a dialogue channel that has remained closed at present.” A source in the South Korean government said, “There is a possibility that the three countries will seek to come up with a new measure to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table, on top of discussion about existing measures including humanitarian aid to the North and support of its Covid-19 control (in Japan).” The three allies will also likely discuss ways to counter the North’s resumption of the operation of nuclear reactors in Yongbyon early July.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com