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South Korean special envoy Chung Eui-young meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on Mar. 5. Kim is carrying a personal letter written by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. In the background is Kim Yo-jong

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made some meaningful jokes while meeting Blue House National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong and the rest of the special delegation to North Korea on Mar. 5.

“Since I’ve made up my mind today, President Moon won’t need to toss and turn in the early morning anymore. It’s been hard on him holding the National Security Council early in the morning every time we launched a missile,” Kim was quoted as saying by a Blue House official on Mar. 9.

Kim appears to have made the remark after the two sides reached an agreement that North Korea would not resume strategic provocations, such as testing any more nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles, as long as dialogue continues.

At 5:27 am on May 14, 2017, shortly after Moon Jae-in was inaugurated as president, North Korea launched its new Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile. From that point until the ICBM launched at 3:17 am on Nov. 29 that North Korea declared marked the completion of its state nuclear force, the North carried out 11 rounds of ballistic missile tests. Whenever the North launched a missile between 3 and 6 in the morning, Moon would immediately convene the National Security Council.

Kim also made a lighthearted remark about the installation of a hotline between the two leaders, which was one of the six points to which South and North Korea agreed. “Now if the technical discussion stalls and the North Korean negotiators step out of line, it will be easy for President Moon and I to work it out by chatting on our direct line,” Kim said.

Kim also explained the reason that the special delegation was put up at the Kobangsan Guest House rarther than the Baekhwawon Guest House, where South Korean VIPs have stayed on previous visit to the North. “I’m told you are staying at the Kobangsan Guest House. I hope you will understand that the Baekhwawon Guest House is not available because it’s being renovated,” Kim said.

“It wouldn’t do for us to be remiss [in entertaining South Korea’s special delegation to the North] after our people [the North Korean high-ranking delegation to the South] came home from such excellent entertainment in South Korea,” Kim was also quoted as saying with a smile. Kim’s remarks are being taken as both expressing his gratitude to Moon for inviting special envoy Kim Yo-jong to the Blue House for lunch and indicating how much effort he put into the accommodations and protocol for the special delegation to the North.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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