North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (right) and U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 27 exchange a handshake at the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Yonhap News)
By Xu Aiying and Yoon Sojung
The leaders of both Koreas and the U.S. have expressed willingness to resume talks, thus raising the possibility of more inter-Korean summits and bilateral dialogue between Pyeongyang and Washington.
President Moon Jae-in on April 15 told a meeting of his senior advisers at Cheong Wa Dae, "As soon as North Korea’s conditions are met, regardless of location or formality, I hope both Koreas can sit face-to-face and have a concrete and substantial discussion to produce results that exceed those of the two previous North Korea-U.S. summits."
He also said Pyeongyang expressed its intent to continue dialogue by mentioning the speech of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the Supreme People’s Assembly when Kim was re-elected chairman. President Moon said he "highly values and greatly welcomes Chairman Kim's standpoint" of resuming talks with Washington and holding a third summit with the U.S.
On April 12, Kim said in his speech, "If the U.S. proposes holding a third North Korea-U.S. summit with the right attitude and the right method that we can share, we are willing to do it one more time."
Saying he will patiently wait for Washington's decision until the end of this year, Kim said, "My personal relationship with President Trump is not hostile like that of the two countries," adding, "We still maintain a wonderful relationship and can exchange letters anytime we want."
In his speech, Kim also sent a message to South Korea saying, "I once again make it clear that my steadfast determination is to write a new peaceful and co-prosperous history of the Korean people as desired by all nations under one mind."
A day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on April 13 said he is open to resuming dialogue with Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed on his Twitter account the idea of holding a third summit with Kim. (President Trump's Twitter)
Trump on April 13 responded to Kim on his Twitter account by saying "I agree with Kim Jong Un of North Korea that our personal relationship remains very good, perhaps the term excellent would be even more accurate, and that a third summit would be good in that we fully understand where we each stand."
"I look forward to the day, which could be soon, when nuclear weapons and sanctions can be removed, and then watching North Korea become one of the most successful nations of the world."
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