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On Feb. 6

On Feb. 6, the Blue House spoke in positive anticipation of the second North Korea-US summit, which is expected to be held in Vietnam on Feb. 27-8. “In Singapore, US President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea have already taken the first step to washing away 70 years of hostilities. Now, in Vietnam, we look forward to a more specific and substantial step forward towards progress,” the Blue House announced.

In a briefing on the same day, Blue House Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyum observed, “Vietnam and the United States were once at war, but are now friends,” adding, “We expect Vietnam to be the best possible setting for North Korea and the United States to embark on writing a new history together.” These statements reflect the hope that, although the first North Korea-US summit in Singapore in June 2018 was mostly limited to declarations of resolving hostile relations and denuclearization, the upcoming second summit in Vietnam will produce more tangible results.

Responding to questions from journalists asking about whether South Korean President Moon Jae-in would go to Vietnam for the summit, Kim said, “While it depends on how the North Korea-US negotiations go, it is not likely.”

A declaration ending the Korean War, involving North and South Korea and the US, or the two Koreas, the US and China, might be on the summit agenda. However, it seems the Blue House has judged that having all involved parties declare an end to the war immediately after the summit is an overly ambitious move in various ways. Perhaps because all hopes for an end-of-war declaration during the Singapore summit last year were dashed, this time there’s hint of caution in raising expectations in advance.

However, the possibility of Moon’s participation cannot be ruled out completely, with overseas media reporting the North Korea-US summit will be followed by a summit between US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the same location. This is because, depending on the results of working-level talks between North Korea and the US, which began on Feb. 6, the possibility of peace on the Korean Peninsula, temporarily put on pause, might once again gain traction.

The Blue House and the ruling Democratic Party maintain that, while Kim Hyok-chol, former North Korean ambassador to Spain, and Stephen Biegun, the US Special Representative for North Korea, might focus on denuclearization and corresponding US measures in their working talks, if the agenda of the North Korea-US summit expands in scope, it is also possible that Biegun’s stay in Pyongyang might be extended.

By Kim Bo-hyeop, staff reporter

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