South Korean’s national security advisor Chung Eui-yong announced at a White House press conference on Thursday night that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un extended an invitation to meet with President Donald Trump, and Trump has agreed to meet with him before May.
“I explained to President Trump that his leadership, and his maximum pressure policy, along with international solidarity, brought us to this juncture,” Eui-yong announced.
Kim said he will refrain from missile tests while these preparations are underway. Kim did not call for the U.S. to stop its military exercises in the region.
Kim said he’d like to meet “as soon as possible.”
Kim, in return for denuclearization, wants a lower U.S. presence on the North Korean border and the easing of sanctions that have had a severe impact on North Korea.
Over the past year, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been opening communication channels with North Korea and can be largely credited with helping create the environment so a meeting could take place.
Details of a meeting have not been revealed and it will take intense planning by the Secret Service and the diplomatic corps to make a meeting happen quickly.
The location of the meeting has not been decided but South Korea is a likely location.
#breaking North Korea leader Kim Jong Un invited US President Trump to meet in the message that was delivered by the South Korean delegation, according to a senior US official and a former US senior official.
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) March 8, 2018
Fox News had earlier reported that the announcement would be Kim Jong Un extending an invitation to meet with President Donald Trump, according to an anonymous senior U.S. official.
#breaking The South Korean delegation hand delivered a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the White House for President Trump, according to a foreign diplomatic source. “Major announcement” on North Korea coming at 7p ET from White House briefing room.
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) March 8, 2018
And, North Korea will reportedly offer to suspend their nuclear missile testing, the senior U.S. official said.
#breaking A senior US official tells CNN that North Korea has offered to suspend their nuclear missile testing alongside their invitation for talks. The official also said there are no plans to change the upcoming planned military exercises with South Korea.
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) March 8, 2018
The South Koreans’ visit to the U.S. comes just days after South Korean officials traveled to North Korea and visited with Kim Jong Un.
The North Korean dictator is reportedly ready to talk about the denuclearization if his country’s security is guaranteed and if North Korea talks with the United States, South Korea had said Tuesday.
North Korea especially wants to ensure the safety of its regime, according to reports. North Korea also promised not to use any of its weapons against South Korea.
But, as history shows, North Korea doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to following through with agreements such as this, and the genuineness of its current intentions remains to be seen or proven.
Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are now expected to meet at a summit at their countries’ borders in April.
South Korean delegates had returned from a two-day trip to North Korea to visit Kim Jong Un and officials there, and discuss denuclearization.
This announcement was a milestone in the ongoing dialogue between North Korea and the world, as Kim Jong Un and President Trump spent the better part of 2017 going back and forth about each other and nuclear weapons.
A South Korean delegation arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Monday, and members were said to have had dinner and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The visit was historic and came at a time when discourse with North Korea is critical, as the U.S. seeks to have North Korea quell its nuclear ambitions.
The South Korean delegation included 10 people and was headed by the South Korean presidential national security director, Chung Eui-yong.
President Trump has said he would talk with Kim Jong Un, and the United States has expressed willingness and openness to have discussions, as well.
