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Blue House Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok speaks about this month’s upcoming inter-Korean summit during a press conference at the Blue House on Apr. 17. (Blue House Photo Pool)

On Apr. 17, the Blue House declared its determination to create a channel for the leaders of South and North Korea to meet periodically to resolve problems, explaining that “using this inter-Korean summit to arrange regular summits at Panmunjeom is an important concern for the government.” Blue House Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok said that National Security Office director Chung Eui-yong or National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon could visit North Korea again before the summit on Apr. 27 to hammer out key agenda items, such as arranging regular inter-Korean summits and bringing peace to the demilitarized zone (DMZ).

“The fact that this inter-Korean summit is being held at Panmunjeom is significant. Separate from holding regular inter-Korean summits, instituting agenda-focused periodic meetings at Panmunjeom is an important matter for us,” Im said during a press conference at the Blue House on Apr. 17.

Holding periodic meetings at Panmunjeom in addition to establishing a direct hotline between the two leaders would enable the leaders to deal with problems in person during times of tension between South and North Korea. Im said he expects the hotline to be connected around Apr. 20.

“If the inter-Korean meeting at Panmunjeom proves an opportunity to resolve not only inter-Korean relations but also [hostilities between] North Korea and the US, I think it could turn out to be much more symbolic than the Malta Summit,” Im said. The US-Soviet summit held onboard a ship near the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea in Dec. 1989 marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

Im said that Chung or Suh, who visited North Korea last month as members of a special delegation from the South, might visit the North again shortly before the inter-Korean summit. “If technical talks about important issues such as the Panmunjeom summit or the peaceful transformation of the DMZ run into difficulties or if we decide that the summit agreement needs a preliminary adjustment, there is always a possibility of Suh or Chung visiting Pyongyang,” he said.

The Blue House also said that South Korea and the US are in communication about the specifics of the upcoming inter-Korean and North Korea-US summits.

“Because the previous two inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007 were not accompanied by dialogue between North Korea and the US, there was trouble implementing the agreements. The reality of foreign policy is that major shifts in direction are difficult to achieve without at least the tolerance and consent of the US. South Korea-US dialogue is taking place at a fairly high level in regard to the agenda of the inter-Korean and North Korea-US summits and the status of preparations,” Im said.

Im also stated that, aside from the matter of location, preparations for the North Korea-US summit were proceeding relatively smoothly.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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