Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. to hold talks in Washington this week
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are set to meet Friday (Washington time) after Kang attends a U.N. ministerial meeting on peace-keeping in New York the same day.
Kang and Pompeo will meet face-to-face for the first time since the collapse of the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi on Feb. 27 and 28.
The highly anticipated summit fell apart as the two sides failed to bridge their differences on Pyongyang's denuclearization and Washington's sanctions relief.
Since then, concerns have persisted that the U.S. and the North could drift toward another deadlock in their nuclear negotiations. Seoul has been seeking ways to facilitate the resumption of Washington-Pyongyang talks.
During their talks, Kang and Pompeo are expected to exchange views on Pyongyang's movements following the Hanoi summit.
North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has threatened to abandon the nuclear talks, voicing frustration over U.S. demands for sweeping denuclearization steps.
Last Friday, the North abruptly pulled out its staff from an inter-Korean liaison office in its border city of Kaesong. Three days later, it returned some personnel to the office after U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that he had ordered the withdrawal of new sanctions against the North.
The minister and secretary are also expected to discuss ways to reaffirm bilateral cooperation over the North's denuclearization amid rumors of a possible rift between the allies.
The rumors emerged as Seoul sought to push for inter-Korean economic cooperation, while Washington appeared intent on tightening the sanctions regime against Pyongyang.
Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, will accompany Kang during her talks with Pompeo, the ministry said.
While in the U.S. from Thursday through Saturday, he will also meet senior Washington officials handling North Korea-related issues, including Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun, it added.
Meanwhile, Biegun wrapped up his four-day trip to Beijing.
He left the Chinese capital on Wednesday for Washington D.C. on a UA 808 flight.
He gave no answers to reporters' questions at the Beijing international airport.
He reportedly had talks with China's chief nuclear envoy, Kong Xuanyou, with both the U.S. and Chinese governments keeping details of their consultations secret.
