New York, October 18 (IANS). The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is going to be held in South Korea. In this summit, the statement of South Korean Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha has come to light regarding the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
In fact, media reports were claiming that US President Donald Trump would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the APEC summit. South Korea’s top envoy to the US, Kang Kyung-wha, said there is no indication yet whether US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit starting in Korea later this month.
Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha made the remarks during a parliamentary audit at the South Korean mission to the United Nations in New York, Yonhap News Agency reported. The South Korean ambassador’s comments come amid speculation that Trump may hold talks with Kim again during his visit to Korea for the APEC summit to be held in the south-eastern city of Gyeongju on October 31 and November 1.
“President Trump has said he is willing to negotiate, and North Korea has also indicated an inclination toward talks. But so far, there is no indication that anything will happen on the occasion of the APEC summit,” Kang said during an audit session of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
He added, “But we are trying to keep an eye on related developments while keeping the possibility (of a Trump-Kim meeting) open.”
Let us tell you that last month, the White House had said that Trump is ready to talk to Kim “without any pre-conditions”. Since then, the discussion about the meeting between the two leaders intensified. The remarks fueled speculation that Trump might try to resume his personal diplomacy with Kim during his upcoming visit to Korea.
At the same time, Kim has also said that if Washington gives up its demand for North Korea’s denuclearization, he is ready to resume talks with the US.
At the same time, when the South Korean ambassador was asked whether Kim wanted to get recognition of his nuclear weapons from America after meeting Trump, he refused to give any reaction on this.
“As far as the US is concerned, it has repeatedly expressed its stance to resume talks without any conditions,” he said.
Commenting on the possibility of a summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Trump during the APEC summit, Kang said, “I understand that the final stage of coordination is underway to ensure the summit.”
–IANS
KK/DSC