South Korea proposes talks with N. Korea on Olympic cooperation

SEOUL, SOUTH KO EA — South Korea on Tuesday offered hig h -level talks with rival North Korea to find ways to cooperate on next month’s Winter Olympics in the South. Seoul’s quick proposal following a rare rapprochement overture from the North a day earlier offers the possibil- ity of better ties after a year that saw a nuclear standoff increase fear of war on the Korean Peninsula.

In a closely watched New Year’s address, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday that he was willing to send a delegation to the Olympics, though he also repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Analysts say Kim may be trying to drive a wedge between Seoul and its ally Washington in a bid to reduce inter- national isolation and sanc- tions against North Korea.

Kim’s overture was welcome news for a South Korean government led by liberal President Moon Jae-in, who favors dialogue to ease the North’s nuclear threats and wants to use the Pyeong- chang Olympics as a chance to improve inter-Korean ties.

Moon’s unification minister, Cho Myoung-gyon, proposed in a nationally tele- vised news conference that the two Koreas meet Jan. 9 at the shared border village of Panmunjom to discuss Olympic cooperation and how to improve overall ties.

Earlier Tuesday, Moon spoke of what he described as Kim’s positive response to his earlier dialogue over-

Rtures and ordered officials to experts say that it’s only a study how to restore talks matter of time before the with North Korea and get North acquires the ability to the North to participate in hurl nuclear weapons at the the Olympics. mainland U.S., but that the

The International Olym- country still has a few techpic Committee welcomed nologies to master, such as the overtures. a warhead’s ability to sur

“The IOC welcomes the vive atmospheric re-entry. mutual intention of the govTalks could provide a ernments of the Republic of temporary thaw in strained Korea and the Democratic inter-Korean ties, but conPeople’s Republic of Korea servative critics worry that to start direct talks about the they may only earn the North participation of athletes from time to perfect its nuclear DPRK in the Olympic Winter weapons. After the OlymGames PyeongChang 2018.” pics, inter-Korean ties could

The IOC said in a state- become frosty again because ment it is continuing discus- the North has made it clear sions with North Korea and it has no intention of acceptits invitation to North Korea ing international calls for to take part in the games nuclear disarmament and would remain open. instead wants to bolster its

North Korea did not imme- weapons arsenal in the face diately react. But if there are of what it considers increastalks, they would be the first ing U.S. threats. formal dialogue between the “Kim Jong Un’s strategy Koreas since December 2015. remains the same. He’s develRelations between the Koreas oping nukes while trying to have plunged as North Korea weaken international preshas expanded its weapons sure and the South Koreaprograms amid a hard-line U.S. military alliance and stance by Moon’s conserva- get international sanctions tive predecessors. lifted,” said Shin Beomchul

Last year, North Korea conof the Seoul-based Korea ducted its sixth and most National Diplomatic Acadpowerful nuclear test and emy. test-launched three interHe said the North might continental ballistic missiles also be using its potential as part of its push to possess participation in the Pyeongca nuclear missile capable of hang Olympics as a chance to reaching anywhere in the show its nuclear program is United States. The North was not intended to pose a threat subsequently hit with toughto regional peace. ened U.N. sanctions, and Kim Kim said the United States and President Donald Trump should be aware that his exchanged warlike rhetoric country’s nuclear forces are and crude personal insults now a reality, not a threat. against each other. He said he has a “nuclear

Kim said in his speech button” on his office desk, Monday that North Korea warning that “the whole terlast year achieved the hisritory of the U.S. is within toric feat of “completing” the range of our nuclear its nuclear forces. Outside strike.”