President Lee to Meet Kim Jong Un in Beijing? Breaking North Korean Taboo for Multilateral Diplomacy After 70 Years

[Financial News] Whether President Lee Jae-myung will meet Kim Jong Un, North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman, at the 80th Victory Day anniversary in Beijing, China, on the 3rd of next month, has become a matter of great interest.
Kim announced on the 28th that he would attend the Victory Day at the invitation of Xi Jinping, President of China, drawing attention to whether President Lee will also attend.
The presidential office has been deliberating on attending the Victory Day, but recently, Woo Won-sik, the second in domestic protocol order, has been set to attend the Victory Day. The meeting with Kim is likely to be arranged through Woo Won-sik.
However, as President Lee, who has actively pursued a meeting between the leaders of the two Koreas, may meet Kim for the first time through attending the Victory Day, the presidential office is likely to be in a dilemma.
President Lee's desire to meet Kim is clear. President Lee proposed a meeting with Kim during a summit with Donald Trump, President of the United States, at the White House on the 25th (local time). In response, President Trump also requested that President Lee arrange the meeting.
The government has been considering inviting Kim to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held in Gyeongju at the end of October. There is also a scenario where a North Korea-U.S. summit with President Trump could take place at this venue.
However, the possibility was slim given that the North Korean regime has rarely engaged in multilateral diplomacy over the past 70 years. Nevertheless, as Kim breaks this taboo and engages in multilateral diplomacy for the first time in 70 years, the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit during the APEC period is expected to increase.

 
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter