Speaking to reporters at the Blue House on September 18, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung affirmed that US President Donald Trump has clearly expressed his desire to resume dialogue with North Korea.
Seoul is actively making preliminary coordination efforts to promote a direct meeting between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year. Although acknowledging that the prospects for the talks are still difficult, the South Korean leader emphasized that this is not impossible and that the parties need to take every opportunity to turn this scenario into reality.
Previously, Donald Trump declared his desire to restore personal relations with Kim Jong Un, and assessed that Pyongyang currently possesses about 57 powerful nuclear weapons, while estimated figures from Seoul are about 80 to 120 warheads.
Mr. Lee Jae Myung's statement was made just one day after North Korea took a tough stance on nuclear weapons.
On September 17 (local time), Ms. Kim Yo Jong - younger sister of the North Korean leader warned that Pyongyang would take stronger offensive retaliatory actions against US-South Korea joint military exercises, and declared that the country is determined not to give up nuclear weapons.
In another development related to the Middle East situation, President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed that South Korea maintains the principle of non-interference and not sending military forces to fight in Iran. Seoul will only deploy minimal activities to protect the safety of commercial ships and vital oil transport routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
This statement was made after Donald Trump expressed disappointment in the US media about a key security ally like South Korea refusing to support Washington's military campaign.
