South Korea's presidential office has revealed plans to mediate between North Korea and the U.S to help them narrow their differences and ensure their June 12th summit in Singapore -- goes ahead and is a success.
There have been fears the meeting might be called off... after the North suddenly canceled high-level inter-Korean talks with Seoul earlier this week, citing the allies' military drills.
Our Cheongwadae correspondent Moon Connyoung reports. Breaking its day-long silence since North Korea abruptly called off a high-level dialogue within hours of the scheduled time and threatened to pull out of next month's historic summit between its leader
Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump... South Korea's presidential Blue House says it will actively perform the role of a mediator to bridge the gap between the two as they appear to have "some difference in stance" ahead of their planned summit.
"The members of the National Security Council standing committee decided to closely coordinate through various channels between South Korea and the U.S. and South and North Korea so that the upcoming North Korea-U.S. summit will be held successfully in the manner of mutual respect."
President Moon is traveling to the U.S. next week for a bilateral summit with his U.S counterpart on the 22nd during which a Blue House official said the South Korean president plans to convey what he and his chief aides have discerned about Pyongyang's position and attitude... and vice versa upon return from his U.S trip.
The Blue House and President Moon's key security officials do believe, however, that both North Korea and the U.S. are still serious and sincere about making the June 12th summit happen... and
intends to continue discussions with North Korea to hold high-level talks that it cancelled on Wednesday.
"Members of the NSC standing committee reaffirmed their stance that the Panmunjom Declaration reached at the April 27 inter-Korea summit must be carried out without any disruption and agreed to continue consulting with the North to hold the high-level talks at an early date.
"As important and symbolic the April inter-Korean summit was to the South Korean president and his vision for peace on the Korean peninsula, the North Korea, U.S. summit is actually THE meeting where Mr. Moon has been placing his bet on in the grand denuclearization and peace building process on the peninsula.
So, it appears the president who pretty much laid the groundwork up until this point couldn't just step back and watch Pyongyang and Washington drift any further and away from such hard-won opportunity.
Moon Connyoung, Arirang News, the Blue House."
