North, South Korean leaders plan third summit for September
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet for the third time after the countries on Monday agreed to a September summit in the North’s capital, Pyongyang.
The plans follow a meeting of officials from both sides of the peninsula in the truce village of Panmunjom, located in the demilitarized zone that separates the two Koreas where the two leaders previously met in April and May.
Ri Son Gwon, chairman of North Korea’s committee for inter-Korean relations, said: "What's very important is that both governments do all they ought to do regarding progressing all the issues on the agenda. If the issues that were raised in the inter-Korea talks and individual meetings are not resolved, then unexpected problems could arise and all the items on the agenda could meet obstacles."
No details of an exact date or agenda have been announced for the occasion, but it appears to be a positive step after US attempts to hasten North Korea’s denuclearisation have seemed to stall.
The hermit kingdom has yet to propose a timeline for the process or disclose details of its nuclear arsenal but US estimates put the stockpile at between 30 and 60 warheads.
In a further twist, the success of the talks could hinge on the case of a dozen North Korean restaurant workers who came to South Korea through China in 2016.
The North claims that the workers were abducted and has indicated that it may use the issue to disrupt the reunion of some families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War, which is planned for next week.
“There were mentions that if there are problems to be resolved by both sides, on humanitarian issues or for the development of inter-Korean relations, we should do it,” said South Korea’s unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon.