S. Korean nuke envoy heads to Washington for talks on North

SEOUL: South Korea’s top nuclear envoy left yesterday for the United States to discuss ways to maintain momentum in efforts to denuclearise North Korea following a no- deal Hanoi summit, Yonhap news agency reported.

Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, said he plans to meet with his American counterpart, Stephen Biegun, and other officials in Washington DC.

“In the process, (we) plan to analyse the outcome of the North Korea- US summit in Hanoi, solidifying coordination between South Korea and the US, and consult on what to do going forward,” he told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, shortly before departure.

Concern has grown that the denuclearisation talks will lose steam, as the second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump concluded without any agreement.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in stated that his administration will try to play an active mediating role again between Pyongyang and Washington.

A government- civilian forum, known as Track II diplomacy, among the Koreas and the US is cited as a realistic option to help kick- start denuclearisation talks.

The three nations’ senior officials had a gathering in Sweden on the sidelines of an international security forum.

Lee, however, said it’s too early to speak publicly about any related specific plan. He was also guarded about whether he believes inter-Korean economic cooperation will be able to serve as a catalyst for Pyongyang-Washington discussions.