청와대, '김정은 연내 서울 답방 어려워진 것은 사실'
Another day's gone by with nothing from North Korea about when Kim Jong-un will come to Seoul.
Remarks by officials at the Blue House suggest it won't happen before the end of the year.
Our presidential office correspondent Shin Se-min reports.
With just a little over two weeks to go before the new year, the window of opportunity for a visit this month by Kim Jong-un -- seems to be closing.
Neither side has made any progress in arranging a schedule, and officials are sounding less optimistic.
President Moon's press secretary, Yoon Young-chan, in a text message to pool reporters, said Kim's visit this year might be "difficult," but kept the door open to a visit in January.
Multiple local news outlets, citing anonymous officials at the top office, have also claimed that chances of Kim Jong-un coming south by year's end now seem slim.
A visit by the regime's supreme leader presents difficulties... believed to be related to security... and especially to the denuclearization talks with the U.S.
Plus it's already a busy month for Pyeongyang.
December 17th is the anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-un's father, the late former leader Kim Jong-il.
And the regime is believed to spend the last month of the year reviewing its accomplishments and prepping for the leader's New Year's speech.
In the meantime, Seoul has been in preparation mode, with a large mural still standing outside the Blue House showing the leaders of South and North holding hands.
With so much up in the air, President Moon, as host of what would be another historical event, has been reserved about it... seen as a signal to the North that the administration doesn't want to rush the regime.
At the same time, trying to keep things moving,... Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon -- said Kim's visit to Seoul could be a stepping stone for the highly-anticipated next summit between Pyeongyang and Washington -- indicating that it might come before that high-stakes meeting.
"With no confirmation yet from either side,... the question remains what the timetable will look like in the weeks to come,... with U.S. President Trump having already said that he plans on meeting North Korea's Kim Jong-un early next year.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News."
