North Korea’s Kim, Trump Could Meet During APEC Summit | World News

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may meet with US President Donald Trump on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit to be held later this month, South Korea’s unification minister said on Tuesday, suggesting that this possibility could be in the border village of Panmunjom.

Minister Chung Dong-young raised this possibility in response to a question from ruling Democratic Party Representative Yoon Hu-duk during the parliamentary oversight session, Yonha News Agency reported.

“According to the analysis of open information and data, both the US and North Korean leaders appear ready (for talks),” he said, adding that Kim’s remarks about having “good memories” of Trump showed that he was willing to meet with him conditionally.

Kim made these remarks at an important parliamentary meeting last month and stated that North Korea was open to negotiations with the United States if its demand for denuclearization was withdrawn.

Trump is expected to visit South Korea in late October to attend APEC events in the southeastern South Korean city of Gyeongju.

“The key now lies in President Trump’s determination,” the minister said, pointing to the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom, located on the border between the two Koreas, as the most likely venue for the meeting. he said.

Chung claimed that the summit could be held if Trump expresses his willingness to hold talks on South Korea-US military exercises, which Pyongyang has long condemned as preparations for an invasion against itself.

The minister also stated that the North Korean leader is the only person in his country who can decide on the solution of the problem of families separated due to the 1950-53 Korean War, and that his ministry believes that an inter-Korean summit should be held in 2026.

But Chung said it would be realistically difficult to push for a summit before South Korea’s local elections, scheduled for June next year.

Early on October 2, the Presidential Security Service (PSS) said it was discussing security preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where world leaders are expected to arrive in the southeastern city of Gyeongju for the global meeting.

PSS chief Hwang In-kwon chaired the meeting of the presidential security committee, which brought together officials from 14 government agencies and military units, including the National Intelligence Agency, the Korean National Police Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the ministries of foreign affairs and justice.

Participants assessed the security environment and discussed ways to coordinate and implement integrated security measures, PSS said in a statement.

Hwang called on institutions to strengthen joint control, cooperation and information sharing to ensure the successful hosting of the APEC Summit.