S. Korean special envoys prepare for talks in North

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's president will send a delegation led by his national security director to North Korea this week for talks on how to ease nuclear tensions and help arrange the restart of dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington, officials said Sunday.

They will be the first known South Korean special envoys to travel to Pyongyang in about 10 years. Their trip comes amid a rare moment of goodwill between the rivals stemming from the recent Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The 10-member delegation headed by National Security Director Chung Eui-yong is to fly to Pyongyang this afternoon for a two-day visit that includes talks with unidentified senior North Korean officials. The discussions will deal with how to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula, improve ties between the Koreas and foster an environment to realize the resumption of talks between Pyongyang and Washington, South Korean President Moon Jae-in's office said.

After its Pyongyang trip, the South Korean delegation will visit Washington to brief U.S. officials about its talks with the North Korean officials, senior presidential official Yoon Young-chan said at a televised news conference. He said the South Korean delegation includes National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon and Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung.

U.S. officials have said North Korea must take serious disarmament steps before talks can restart.

"They, by the way, called up a couple of days ago, they said 'we would like to talk,'" President Donald Trump said Saturday at a press dinner. "And I said, 'so would we, but you have to de-nuke.'"

North Korea has insisted it won't place its nuclear program on the negotiating table.

It was not clear whether Trump was describing a direct conversation or messages sent through diplomatic channels. Trump has previously said he thinks he could have a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, were they ever to try to resolve tensions directly. A U.S. official said earlier this year that Trump and Kim had never spoken.

Some of Trump's remarks Saturday at the Gridiron Club dinner were in jest.

"I would not rule out direct talks with Kim Jong Un. I just won't. As far as the risk of dealing with a madman is concerned, that's his problem, not mine," he said to laughter.

In the past, South Korea sent special envoys to Pyongyang to reach breakthrough deals aimed at reducing animosities and securing higher-level talks. The Koreas' two past summit talks, one in 2000 and the other in 2007, were both held after ranking South Korean officials went to Pyongyang and worked out details of the summits in advance.

The last known South Korean special envoy to travel to Pyongyang was the country's intelligence chief, who visited a few months before the 2007 summit.

During the recently concluded Olympics, the Koreas fielded their first joint Olympic squad in women's ice hockey and had their athletes parade together during the opening ceremony.

Kim also sent senior officials, including his influential younger sister, to the start and close of the games, and they met Moon and conveyed Kim's invitation to visit Pyongyang for what would be the third inter-Korean summit. Those North Korean officials also told Moon that they were willing to restart talks with the United States.

Moon has yet to accept Kim's invitation to visit Pyongyang. During the Olympics, Moon only said "let's not get too far ahead" on a summit and that the Koreas should create an unspecified "environment" for the talks.

Some experts say the North's outreach during the Olympics was an attempt to use improved ties with South Korea as a way to break out of diplomatic isolation and weaken U.S.-led international sanctions and pressure on the country.

Trump said Saturday that the United States "saved the Olympics" by taking a hard line on North Korea. South Korea, the host of the games, credits Trump's "strong attitude" for North Korea's attendance, he said.

"That's true, whether people want to hear it," Trump said at the Gridiron Club dinner. "And they had a very successful Olympics. That was heading for disaster."

Information for this article was contributed by Anne Gearan of The Washington Post; and by Hyung-jin Kim of The Associated Press.

A Section on 03/05/2018

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