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A senior national security official from South Korea recently paid a secret visit to Russia.

Multiple sources said that Kim Hyun-chong, second deputy chief of the Blue House National Security Office, returned home from a trip to Russia on Mar. 27. This came on the heels of a trip to Russia by Kim Chang-son, the de facto chief of staff and protocol officer of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Kim Chang-son was in Russia from Mar. 19 to 25, and his trip fueled speculation that Kim Jong-un may be about to pay a visit to Russia. That’s why Kim Hyun-chong’s visit to that country has raised eyebrows.

Kim Hyun-chong presumably met officials in the Russian government to discuss affairs on the Korean Peninsula following the second North Korea-US summit and Kim Jong-un’s plan to visit Russia. Since North Korea-US dialogue has been stalled since the Hanoi summit, the South Korean official may also have discussed potential action that the two countries could take.

Kim Hyun-chong’s absence was noted when he failed to make an appearance at several major events, including a meeting of Blue House senior secretaries and aides on Mar. 25 and the South Korea-Belgium summit on Mar. 26. That led to speculation that Kim had visited the US or China to coordinate their “post-Hanoi” strategy. But that seemed odd given reports that Kim already had a trip to the US coming up.

Another notable development was the appearance at South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday of a White House official who was deeply involved in technical negotiations for the second North Korea-US summit. The official in question was Allison Hooker, Korea director for the White House National Security Council.

Hooker had accompanied US State Department Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun on a trip to Beijing on Mar. 24, and she reportedly stopped in South Korea on her way home to explain the results of Biegun’s visit to China and to exchange opinions about the situation following the Hanoi summit with Foreign Ministry officials such as Kim Tae-jin, director-general of the bureau of North American affairs.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon are currently in the US to hold a meeting with the US Secretary of State on Mar. 29.

By Kim Ji-eun, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]