North Korea and the U.S. could hold working level talks next week to hammer out the details and possible conditions for the next steps of Pyeongyang's denuclearization.
Hong Yoo sheds light on what we can expect from the upcoming meeting.
Amid the high possibility of another Kim-Trump summit after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Pyeongyang, diplomats are paying keen attention to working level talks between North Korea and the U.S., which could be held as early as next week.
Stephen Biegun, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, and top North Korean diplomat Choi Sun-hee are expected to be at the negotiating table.
Biegun has never dealt with denuclearization negotiations with North Korea but he has experience in the government and the private sector. Choi Sun-hee is experienced in North Korea's nuclear program and has previously negotiated with the U.S.
The two of them will lead negotiations that could have a significant impact on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
The issues to be covered in their meeting could include setting a date and location for the second North Korea-U.S. summit, the implementation of agreements already made between the two Koreas and between North Korea and the U.S., and the creation of equivalent measures by the U.S. for the North's first steps towards denuclearization.
Their meeting will hopefully reveal the details of the "significant progress" that Pompeo claims to have made during his 4th visit to Pyeongyang.
Pompeo told reporters in Seoul that North Korea has agreed to a nuclear inspection.
He said once North Korea and the U.S. "get it logistically worked out", Kim Jong-un is ready to invite experts to verify whether the Punggye-ri nuclear test site has been destroyed irreversibly.
The Punggye-ri site is one of two locations that the leaders of the two Koreas agreed to be inspected during their 3rd inter-Korean Summit.
The other is the Tongchang-ri missile engine test site, which the U.S. anticipates will also be inspected.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.
