Seoul
South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump to use next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit as an opportunity for dialogue. The meeting will be held in South Korea from October 29 to 30.
Minister Chung said that both leaders should not “miss this golden opportunity” to restart talks that could lead to lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. He noted that arranging another summit later would be more difficult due to logistical challenges if they fail to meet during the APEC event.
Speculation has grown that President Trump, who plans to attend the summit, might seek a meeting with Kim, though officials say the chances remain low. Trump and Kim previously met three times — in Singapore in 2018, Hanoi in 2019, and briefly at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom later that same year.
Chung also said there are “signs” that both sides may be preparing for potential contact. He mentioned that North Korean workers were recently seen cleaning and taking photos near Panmunjom, the truce village that separates the two Koreas. The United Nations Command has also temporarily suspended visits to the site, fueling speculation about upcoming diplomatic activity.
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in meeting Kim again before the year ends. Kim, too, has said he holds “good memories” of their past meetings and remains open to talks if the United States relaxes its demand for North Korea’s denuclearisation.
