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Kim Yong Chol holds talks with Pompeo in Washington

Posted January. 19, 2019 07:41,   

Updated January. 19, 2019 07:41

한국어

Kim Yong Chol, head of North Korea’s United Front Work Department, arrived in Washington on Thursday (local time) for a two-day trip. With the senior North Korean official’s visit to the United States, the two countries are expected to speed up preparations for a second summit between the leaders including measures to produce concrete results through negotiations over the North’s actions to denuclearize itself and corresponding U.S. measures.

Kim had talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday morning to finalize the details of another summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Depending on the talks’ results, he is likely to pay a courtesy call on Trump at the White House in the afternoon (Saturday morning Korea time) and convey to him a message from Kim Jong Un as well as the regime’s willingness to take denuclearization steps.

Kim is scheduled to return to Pyongyang via Beijing on an Air China flight Saturday afternoon. Observers speculate that if Kim’s trip goes as planned, the White House will disclose the agreements made between the two sides including the schedule and location of a second U.S.-North Korea summit.


lightlee@donga.com