North Korea's Kim Yong-chol... was known to have told President Moon Jae-in the regime is willing to talk with Washington.
What's most surprising is that the comment came despite the liberal leader's direct mention of Pyongyang's denuclearization.
Oh Jung-hee has with more.
We now know that North Korea repeatedly said it's willing to talk with the United States... even though South Korea spoke directly of denuclearization.
The leader of North Korea's high-level delegation, Kim Yong-chol, met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday... shortly before the closing ceremony of the Olympics.
Kim said Pyongyang is willing to talk with Washington... but the initial response from the White House was simply "we'll see," and that talks would depend on a commitment to denuclearize.
On Monday,... it turned out... that President Moon, in his meeting with the North Korean general, actually brought up the need for denuclearization.
President Moon is reported to have said that if North Korea halts its nuclear and missile provocations and returns to the path of dialogue,... then the international community will cooperate on related measures.
It's reported that the North Korean delegates listened to President Moon but showed no particular reaction.
Sunday's meeting was the first time North Korea has openly and clearly mentioned its willingless to sit down with the U.S.
Before and during the Olympics, Pyongyang was reluctant to speak with U.S. delegates,... saying it wouldn't use the Olympics as a political opportunity.
And just last week, the North's state-run news agency reported... that the target of the regime's nuclear arms is the United States.
But whether the North is really ready to discuss denuclearization with the U.S. in earnest is still up for debate.
"Kim Yong-chol apparently did not mention the word denuclearization of nuclear weapons yet, so we don't know whether North Korea's willingness to talk with the United States is about nuclear weapons of North Korea,... or as it has pursued before, any talks is possible if nuclear weapons is not the agenda of the talks with the United States."
South Korea's been keen to keep up the dialogue momentum with North Korea and eventually have that lead to talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
But whether the North is actually willing to meet Washington's condition and discuss its nuclear program... remains to be seen.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
