Diplomatic channels between the United States and North Korea might reopen. According to an assessment by South Korean intelligence, there are signs that leave open the possibility of a new summit between American President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The hypothesis was presented by the South Korean National Intelligence Service (Nis) during a confidential briefing with the country's political figures. The contents of the meeting were later reported by lawmakers Youn Kun-young, a member of the Democratic Party, and Yoo Yeong-ha, from the People Power Party.
Link to Seoul Does Not Rule Out a New MeetingSeoul Does Not Rule Out a New Meeting
According to what emerged from the briefing and reported by the South Korean agency Yonhap, Seoul's intelligence considers it possible that a summit between the United States and North Korea could be organized “at any time”.
The assessment is based on the analysis of possible signals from Pyongyang and Washington, although no official announcement of a meeting between the two leaders has been made yet.
A potential return to the negotiating table would reopen a dossier that has been one of the most delicate in international politics for years: the North Korean nuclear and missile program and the relations between Pyongyang and the United States.
Link to Previous Meetings Between Trump and KimPrevious Meetings Between Trump and Kim
Trump and Kim Jong-un have already engaged in direct dialogue during the first term of the US president. Their first historic summit took place in Singapore in June 2018, followed by the meeting in Hanoi in February 2019.
In June of the same year, the two leaders met again in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. Although this diplomatic process resulted in an unprecedented opening in bilateral relations, it did not lead to a definitive agreement on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
The possibility of a new face-to-face meeting would therefore carry significant political weight, especially in light of the evolution of the North Korean military program and new international balances.
Link to Kim Ju-ae and the Succession IssueKim Ju-ae and the Succession Issue
The briefing also addressed the future of North Korean leadership. According to the Nis assessment, Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of Kim Jong-un, might be in a phase of gradual accreditation as a possible successor to her father.
The young woman has appeared increasingly frequently alongside the leader in recent years during official ceremonies, visits, and events related to the North Korean military apparatus.
(Associated Medias) - All rights reserved