President Moon Jae-in spoke by phone to U.S. President Donald Trump for 35 minutes today. They discussed the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula prompted by the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, including an inter-Korean summit and a U.S.-North Korea summit scheduled for May.

President Moon began by thanking President Trump for his country’s active support for the success of the PyeongChang Games by sending to Korea Vice President Mike Pence, Presidential Advisor Ivanka Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.

In addition, President Moon briefed his U.S. counterpart on the results of visits to China, Russia and Japan by delegations led by Director of National Security Chung Eui-yong and Director of National Intelligence Service Seo Hoon, respectively. He explained that these countries also stood in active support of a summit between the United States and North Korea.

The two heads of state agreed to continued, close coordination at every stage to ensure that North Korea would be able to voluntarily take action toward the goal of its denuclearization. 

Noting that denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula was the most important goal and a process needed to achieve peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the world, President Moon underscored that the Korean Government would never make any concession in achieving this goal under any circumstances or conditions.

President Moon said he would strive to create an optimal atmosphere for the success of a summit between the North and the United States when he meets with Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, at the end of April. He added that he would make thorough preparations for concerns stemming from past failures.  

In relation to the move by the U.S. Government to apply the Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, President Moon stressed that it would be important for President Trump to show consideration to South Korea to demonstrate how solid cooperation between Korea and the United States is ahead of the upcoming inter-Korean summit and a summit between the United States and North Korea. Noting the negotiation on the FTA between Korea and the United States was underway, President Trump asked President Moon to take interest in the matter so that the Korean delegation would show more flexibility. 

President Trump told President Moon to feel free to make a phone call whenever necessary to discuss issues of mutual interest no matter whether it was a new development in the inter-Korean relations or a trade issue.