Korea summit could help clarify denuclearisation process ahead of Kim-Trump talks, says South’s ex-unification minister
South Korea’s Moon Jae-in hopes to mediate on key area of contention, while Kim Jong-un hopes for economic aid as price of peace, former minister Jeong Se-hyun said
The inter-Korean summit is a crucial stepping stone for peace on the peninsula and can pave the way for the planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a former South Korean unification minister has said.
Jeong Se-hyun said South Korean President Moon Jae-in hoped to mediate an agreement on denuclearisation between Washington and Pyongyang when he meets Kim on Friday, by explaining the international community’s requirements and confirming the North’s commitment to the process.
Jeong, who served as unification minister between 2002 and 2004 during a previous round of peace talks, also told the South China Morning Post that Kim’s recent diplomatic overtures were motivated by a desire to aid the North’s economic development.
“The inter-Korean summit is a stepping stone,” Jeong said. “Trump and Kim must draw up an agreement on denuclearisation when they meet, and the inter-Korean summit will serve its role as a preparatory meeting.”