Rival Korean leaders agree to meet for third summit
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet amid new concerns over North Korea denuclearization; Greg Palkot reports.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet in Pyongyang in September for their third summit, officials announced Monday, as doubt grows about the Hermit Kingdom’s vow to end its nuke and missile programs.
The countries’ chiefs of inter-Korean affairs met for nearly two hours at the border village of Panmunjom before making the announcement. Both parties spoke about North Korea’s nuclear disarmament efforts and international sanctions, but provided few other details on the meeting.
North Korea's chief delegate, Ri Son Gwon, had hinted a date for the summit was set, but refused to unveil the date because he wanted to “keep reporters wondering.” South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon would only say officials still had work to do before agreeing on a date.
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, left, shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart, Ri Son Gwon, after their meeting at the northern side of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone. (AP)
Both sides would only confirm it would be sometime in September.
If the summit occurs, it would be the third since April, when the once-rival countries began thawing tensions after nearly reaching the brink of nuclear war.
Officials have been watching and waiting for North Korea to make progress on its promise to denuclearize its regime — an agreement Kim made with President Trump during their historic June summit in Singapore. Cho said he urged North Korea to continue its nuclear negotiations with the U.S.
Cho, however, said there were no new details on the progress.
A U.S. official with knowledge of the latest intelligence assessment on North Korea told Fox News in late July that the rogue regime is possibly constructing new intercontinental ballistic missiles.
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, right, and his North Korean counterpart, Ri Son Gwon, arrive to hold their meeting at the northern side of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone. (AP)
“It’s business as usual,” the official said, showing Kim may be going against the promises he made in recent months.
Pyongyang has urged Washington to ease economic punishments, but the U.S. says that can't happen until the North completely denuclearizes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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