Kim Jong-un meets envoys from South
NORTH KOREA: Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s reclusive leader, was hosting a dinner for a top-level South Korean delegation to Pyongyang yesterday in an unprecedented boost to an ongoing diplomatic detente that has raised hopes of future talks over the hermit nation’s nuclear programme.
Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president, yesterday dispatched Chung Eui-yong, his national security head, and Suh Hoon, his intelligence chief, to lead a 10-member delegation on a two-day trip to the North Korean capital.
The delegation will hold talks that could pave the way for a possible summit meeting between the leaders of South and North Korea, after Kim Jong-un last month invited Moon to visit Pyongyang. They will also discuss how to resume dialogue between the US and North Korea over its nuclear and weapons programme.
It was not known until the delegation landed in the North whether Kim Jong-un would personally meet them in what would be his first encounter with South Korean officials since coming to power in 2011.
Kim’s dinner invitation was confirmed by South Korea’s presidential office. The envoys are carrying a letter from Moon to hand to their host. They were welcomed by Ri Son-gwon, chief of a North Korean agency in charge of inter-Korean affairs.
‘‘I plan to hold in-depth discussions on various ways to continue talks between not only the South and the North, but also the North and the United States and the international community,’’ Chung said shortly before his departure.
Moon and his aides have repeatedly stressed the importance of talks between Washington and Pyongyang, and for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. Analysts, however, pointed out that while the envoys’ visit could facilitate a future summit, the nuclear issue could not be avoided.