Politics
15:05, 17-Apr-2018
Hotline between ROK, DPRK leaders likely to be set up this week
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The hotline between Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un could be operational by April 20, said the ROK Chief Presidential Secretary Im Jong-seok at a press conference on Tuesday.
Im said the first Moon-Kim conversation via the telephone line is expected to be made possible around Friday, but he noted that the exact date had yet to be decided.
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un meets Song Tao (unseen in the photo), who led a Chinese art troupe to the DPRK for the April Spring Friendship Art Festival, in Pyongyang on April 15, 2018. /VCG Photo
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un meets Song Tao (unseen in the photo), who led a Chinese art troupe to the DPRK for the April Spring Friendship Art Festival, in Pyongyang on April 15, 2018. /VCG Photo
Moon and Kim agreed to hold their first face-to-face meeting on April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom. They decided to establish a direct hotline between each other, and have the first telephone talks before the summit is held.
If necessary, Im said that the possibility is always open for Chung Eui-yong, chief of the National Security Office of the Blue House, or Suh Hoon, head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), to visit Pyongyang before the inter-Korean summit.
South Korean president Moon Jae-in celebrates with bronmze medal winning team of Korea after the Ice Hockey bronze medal game between Korea and Italy during day eight of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games on March 17, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. /VCG Photo
South Korean president Moon Jae-in celebrates with bronmze medal winning team of Korea after the Ice Hockey bronze medal game between Korea and Italy during day eight of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games on March 17, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. /VCG Photo
As special emissaries for President Moon, Chung and Suh met with the DPRK leader in Pyongyang in early March when the two Koreas agreed to hold the third-ever inter-Korean summit in late April.
Im said communication channels with the DPRK through the NIS, South Korea's intelligence agency, has always been open.
He added that many issues would be discussed between the two sides during the second round of working-level talks for security, protocol and media coverage for the Moon-Kim summit.
The working-level dialogue is set to be held Wednesday in Panmunjom.
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Source(s): Xinhua News Agency