비건 방한…이도훈•김연철 등과 대북 의제 협의
Ahead of that hotly anticipated visit, Washington's top nuclear envoy travelled to Seoul.
But it appears his schedule also doesn't include any meetings with North Korean officials.
Lee Ji-won fills us in on the latest.
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun arrived in Seoul Thursday afternoon, just days ahead of President Donald Trump.
Biegun will first be meeting with his South Korean counterpart, the Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, Lee Do-hoon, Friday morning.
They'll be sitting down at 10 and finishing before lunch.
The two are expected to discuss the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula and narrow down the denuclearization issues for their leaders to discuss when they meet later in the week.
The two are also to meet again for dinner Friday evening.
It's also reported that Biegun will be meeting with Seoul's Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul... later Friday at 5 p.m.
Kim is expected to update Biegun on inter-Korean ties, including developments in Seoul's plans to provide 50-thousand tons of rice to the North.
Nothing else is known about who Biegun will be meeting in Seoul,... but there's speculation that he could still visit the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae as he's always done.
But with the top officials at the National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong and Kim Hyun-chong, in Japan together with President Moon Jae-in for the G20 summit, it's not clear who Biegun could possibly meet there.
Also this time, Biegun is expected to spend much of his time preparing for President Trump's visit slated for Saturday and Sunday.
So while there's been speculation that Biegun might try to get in touch with the North Koreans at the border village of Panmunjeom, sources in Seoul speculate that it's not likely because the schedule is tight as it is.
Biegun is to conclude his four day trip on Sunday, when President Trump leaves.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.
