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Blue House National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong with US State Department Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun at the Blue House on Feb. 4. (provided by the Blue House)

US State Department Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun said on Feb. 11 that the aim of bilateral talks with North Korea next week is to develop a draft for an agreement at the two sides’ upcoming second summit. Biegun also suggested the possibility of reaching agreements in some areas during the talks.

The remarks were reported by sources present at a meeting at the State Department building in Washington, DC, that day between Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, and leaders from South Korea’s five main political parties.

Referring to his working-level talks in Pyongyang on Feb. 6–8 with North Korean State Affairs Commission Special Representative for US Affairs Kim Hyok-chol, Biegun said, “We have agreed on the [summit] agenda, but need some time to understand each other for the sake of the talks,” National Assembly spokesperson Lee Gye-seong briefed.

Biegun also reportedly said that the agenda for the second North Korea-US summit in Hanoi on Feb. 27–28 is to consist of 12 items. The two sides appear to have selected sub-areas related to the areas agreed upon by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump at their first summit in Singapore last June, namely the formation of a new bilateral relationship, establishment of a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, and complete denuclearization of the peninsula.

Biegun was further quoted as saying that the two sides “had the opportunity to explain exactly what they want” and that the “bridging of differences will begin with the next meeting.” The message reads as signaling that the working-level talks next week will include full-scale efforts to coordinate on denuclearization and corresponding measures. Biegun additionally explained that the aim of the meeting would be to develop a draft for the summit agreement, sources said.

“With just two weeks left until the summit, we can’t solve every issue, but there is the possibility if we can reach an agreement in certain respects,” he was quoted as saying.

Biegun reportedly went on to express “hope that the advancement of inter-Korean relations proceeds in tandem with the North Korean denuclearization process.” Sullivan was quoted as stressing that economic sanctions would be “kept in place until North Korea’s final, fully verifiable denuclearization [FFVD] is achieved.” Attendees reported that an agreement on loosening sanctions appeared unlikely to emerge at the upcoming summit.

“Normalization of relations with North Korea, a peace treaty, and establishment of a basis for the Korean Peninsula’s economic prosperity are a long way away, but we [the US government] have chosen to do that,” Biegun was quoted as saying.

“We hope and believe North Korea will make the right choice,” he reportedly added.

Biegun was also quoted as saying, “While this summit will be between North Korea and the US alone, there will also come a day when we can have three parties participating.” His remarks were seen as suggesting the possibility of a declaration ending the Korean War, with either South Korea or both South Korea and China taking part.

During the meeting, Moon stressed that “issues such as joint South Korea-US military exercises, deployment of strategic assets, and the reduction or withdrawal of US Forces Korea should not be influenced by inter-Korean relations, but must originate entirely within the South Korea-US alliance.”

By Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent, and Song Gyung-hwa, staff reporter

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