Let's start with the South Korea-U.S. summit that wrapped up a few hours ago.
Presidents Moon and Trump reiterated they will to keep talking to North Korea in a bid to denuclearize the regime,... perhaps even holding more summits in the near future.
However, it seems President Moon's efforts to soften President Trump's stance on sanctions fell flat as Trump was firm they remain in place.
Shin Se-min reports from Washington.
No change on sanctions, but the door to dialogue with the North remains open.
U.S. President Donald Trump, sitting across from President Moon Jae-in in the White House, reiterating his view that sanctions against the regime have to stay in full force.
However, he said channels of communication should stay open with Pyeongyang as they work toward the regime's full and final denuclearization.
President Trump said the hardline policy toward the North should also extend to halted joint projects between the two Koreas until Pyeongyang makes good on its promises.
"How much do you support President Moon's push for economic concession which includes the resumption of the joint inter-Korean industrial complex?"
"In the right time I'd have a great support. This isn't the right time but in the right time I'd have a great support."
He added sanctions to pressure North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are at a level that's "fair."
Asked if he would take a "smaller deal" to keep the talks going,... the U.S. President said he'd have to see what the deal is,... as there are various smaller deals that could happen.
But in the meantime,... President Trump said he's looking to strike a "big deal" with the regime,... which means the complete eradication of the North's nuclear program.
During the first real indication of how the North Korea nuclear talks will proceed in the aftermath of the Hanoi summit,... Presidents Moon and Trump agreed that every step taken is a step forward.
"I believe it's crucially important to continue the momentum of dialogue and offer an outlook to the world that a third North Korea-U.S. summit will be held in the near future.
The two allies also cemented their stances that their top-down approach is the key to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
"Amid the fine tuning to reach the end goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula,… the door to progress remains open,… including the next summit meeting between leaders Kim and Trump,… and even a three-way summit with President Moon Jae-in,... all of which depends upon how and when the North Korean leader makes his next move.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News."
