Jeong Doo-young: "Trump is a leader who can resolve even war through dialogue"... North Korea–U.S. talks must be kept alive

[The Financial News] Jeong Doo-young, Minister of Unification (MOU), stressed that the last remaining spark of dialogue between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), must not be allowed to go out, despite the lack of progress in North Korea–U.S. talks. Speaking to reporters on his way to work at the Ministry of Unification in Jongno District, Seoul, on the 16th, Minister Jeong said, "I hope North Korea does not miss this opportunity."
He went on to say, "Donald John Trump is the kind of leader who can decide either on war or on dialogue in order to resolve a problem." His remarks were interpreted to mean that, although the United States has gone to war to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, it could still choose to pursue talks with North Korea, which is firmly rejecting denuclearization.
Minister Jeong added, however, that he believes the war between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will "generally have a negative impact on the Korean Peninsula."
So far, there have been no behind-the-scenes contacts among the United States, North Korea, and South Korea to arrange a summit between the North Korean and U.S. leaders. Minister Jeong said, "As far as I know, there is no contact between North Korea and the United States," adding, "With all channels of inter-Korean communication cut off, it is difficult at this point to consider sending a special envoy to the North." He has repeatedly expressed his willingness to serve personally as a special envoy to North Korea.
Minister Jeong noted, "During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings at the end of last October, President Trump said he wanted to meet Chairman Kim, but because the meeting did not materialize, there is a sense that his pride was hurt."
President Trump is planning a U.S.-China Summit with Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, within the next few weeks. During this period, the possibility of a North Korea–U.S. summit has also been raised. In this context, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok of South Korea met Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 13th (local time) to explore the prospects for renewed dialogue with North Korea. Trump then asked the prime minister whether Chairman Kim was willing to hold another North Korea–U.S. summit.
Some observers have taken this to mean that, unlike during the last APEC meetings, President Trump’s willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korea has diminished.
Responding to that assessment, Minister Jeong said, "What he really did was to ask back, ‘Is Chairman Kim actually thinking of meeting me?’" He continued, "This shows he still has a deep interest in meeting Chairman Kim. We must keep this spark alive."
North Korea, however, has recently continued exercises involving destroyers capable of carrying nuclear weapons and multiple rocket launchers, sending negative signals regarding both inter-Korean and North Korea–U.S. dialogue. Minister Jeong assessed these moves as North Korea’s response to the ROK-US Combined Military Exercise.
Minister Jeong argued that, from the U.S. perspective, dialogue with North Korea is essential to stabilizing the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He added that, to draw North Korea back to the negotiating table, the United States should change its hostile policy toward the North and recognize the status accorded to the country in its own constitution.

rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter