비건 “북한에 인도적 지원이나 연락사무소 제공할 수도”
With working-level talks between the U.S. and North Korea becoming more likely, Washington's top nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun has reportedly given hints as to what the U.S. wants from North Korea and what it plans to give in return.
Lee Ji-won has the details.
The U.S. is willing to discuss humanitarian relief and improving diplomatic ties with North Korea during their negotiations.
U.S.-based news website Axios reported Tuesday that Washington's special representative for North Korea told reporters this in an off the record briefing on their way back to Washington from South Korea on Sunday.
This is right after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump held a surprise meeting in the DMZ.
Biegun reportedly said that Washington wanted a "complete freeze" of the North's weapons of mass destruction while the two sides are carrying out their negotiations. Along with that, the administration wanted an idea of an end state, and then within that they would have a discussion of how to carry out North Korea's denuclearization.
Biegun also said the U.S. is not ready to lift the sanctions against the regime even if it freezes its weapons program, but he did say the U.S. could give Kim other concessions, such as humanitarian relief and improved diplomatic ties.
While he did not go into the details of what those could be,... a joint-liaison office is thought to be a possible option, as it's known to be one of the items the two sides were open to at the Hanoi summit in February.
Biegun is also known to have said that he was open to some give and take along the way to North Korea's denuclearization and that they want to take pieces off the board,... hinting at a step-by-step implementation of their agreement.
A State Department spokesperson, however declined to comment to Axios on the story.
With the two sides holding working-level talks in the next two weeks or so,... eyes are on whether this proposal will lead to a breakthrough in negotiations.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.
