이번 주 한미정상회담•北최고인민회의…북미협상 재개 분수령
South Korea faces a critical week... as the much anticipated Seoul-Washington summit, on top of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly take place this week.
While the world is watching closely on the developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula,... today we go in-depth on the possible solutions to the current nuclear stalemate.
For that, Dr. Kim Hyun-wook, Professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy now joins us.
It's always good to have you with us.
1. Let's begin with North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly. The first session of the North's newly elected parliament will convene this Thursday, and already it's making the headlines. Could you first explain to us the significance of the gathering?
2. During last year's assembly, Pyeongyang announced it will focus on the economy rather than its nuclear development program. What kind of announcement, or policy direction do you expect from this year's assembly?
3. North Korea is yet to make an announcement on its post-Hanoi plan. Do you expect any fresh new approach from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un?
4. Many are labeling the upcoming Supreme People's Assembly as 'the second term of Kim's reign'. Interesting point to note, though, is that the name of Kim Jong-un, for the first time for a North Korean leader, was not on the ballot when Pyeongyang's national election took place last month. Could there be some changes to Kim's position?
5. All eyes are on whether President Moon and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump can find a breakthrough in the current nuclear deadlock. It has been clear, all along, that the U.S. wants a 'big deal', or a complete denuclearization first before anything else could happen. Do you think Trump would stick to that hard-line stance this time around?
6. Having said that, what strategy do you expect from President Moon Jae-in who, from the beginning put great emphasis on South Korea's role as a mediator between Pyeongyang and Washington in regards to the regime's nuclear issue?
7. How far should the talks between South Korea and the U.S. reach in order to call the summit 'successful'?
