Kim's letter to Trump to play positive role: ROK Blue House

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The letter by Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to U.S. President Donald Trump will play a positive role in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and building lasting peace, the Republic of Korea's (ROK) presidential Blue House said Thursday.

Kim Eui-keum, the Blue House spokesperson, told a press briefing that Kim's autograph letter to Trump was anticipated to play a positive role in the peninsula's complete denuclearization and the settlement of permanent peace.

The comment came after Trump said overnight that he had received a "great letter" from the DPRK leader, expecting another meeting with Kim soon following their first summit in Singapore in June last year.

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (L) shake hands during their historic summit at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore, June 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

In the New Year's address, Kim said he was ready to meet again with Trump at any time, confirming that his country would completely denuclearize the peninsula and improve inter-Korean relations.

The DPRK leader noted that he was willing to reopen the inter-Korean industrial zone in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong and resume the tours by ROK people to the DPRK's scenic resort of Mount Kumgang on its east coast "without any preconditions."

Kim and ROK President Moon Jae-in agreed during their September summit in Pyongyang to normalize the two inter-Korean cooperation projects as soon as "conditions are met."

The normalization, however, has been delayed under international sanctions on Pyongyang.

The Blue House spokesperson told reporters that the two inter-Korean projects would play a positive role in building peace on the peninsula as well as its denuclearization.

Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday also welcomed Kim's move, saying the U.S. and the DPRK are the key parties in the Korean Peninsula issue.

"If the two sides can have positive interaction and effective dialogue, it must be very conducive to the settlement of the nuclear issue on the peninsula and peace and stability in the region," said a spokesperson.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency