Frozen US-North Korea ties may see ‘new progress’, Seoul official says

A top South Korean official has hinted at a possible shift in frozen ties between the United States and North Korea, raising expectations that Washington could articulate a more open security stance on Pyongyang. In an informal meeting with South Korean reporters in Washington on Thursday, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “there may be some new progress in a few days”. His remarks come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when he visits China in April. The government of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has been seeking Washington’s cooperation in efforts to draw Pyongyang back to the dialogue table and roll back tensions between the two Koreas, which worsened under the conservative, impeached former president Yoon Suk-yeol. The official on Thursday, however, downplayed expectations of the start of full-fledged negotiations. “It’s nothing grand, so please understand it as a kind of goodwill gesture on the US side that could serve as a starting point,” he said. “At present, North Korea’s position of refusing dialogue is quite firm. This is something we need to watch more closely.” South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier reaffirmed their commitment to the “complete” denuclearisation of Pyongyang in talks in Washington on Tuesday. Cho urged Rubio to work together to encourage North Korea’s return to talks by continuously sending joint messages calling for dialogue, according to the foreign ministry. “Rubio took note of South Korea’s efforts to reduce regional tensions and enhance cooperation,” it said. Taken together, the official’s remarks were interpreted as Seoul having requested forward-looking measures from the US regarding North Korea, and that the American government had responded positively, Yonhap News Agency reported. Both South Korea and the US have expressed a desire to re-engage with Pyongyang, but it remains uncertain if Kim would respond to overtures as he deepens ties with Russia and China amid a mounting superpower rivalry. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in reviving talks with Kim, who has also signalled openness if Washington stops insisting on denuclearisation. Kim has, however, avoided any form of talks with Washington and Seoul since the breakdown of the 2019 Hanoi summit, instead pivoting towards Moscow amid the Ukraine war. Kim also ignored Trump’s proposal to meet while the US leader was in South Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. “Following consultations between two countries and a year-long study by relevant government agencies, there is [a] possibility of Washington presenting policy details concerning North Korea soon,” Hong Min, senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told This Week in Asia. “The United States is likely to signal its intention to engage in dialogue, including North Korea’s security interests.” Political science professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies said the US could introduce measures to facilitate humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, or ease travel restrictions to help foster an atmosphere conducive to dialogue. Humanitarian aid has always remained outside sanctions, but restrictions surrounding financial transactions with the North and other political factors hamper delivery, as seen in the failed transport of Tamiflu from the South in 2019. “Such an announcement would give more room for humanitarian organisations and other civic groups to reach out to the North, making them less reluctant to engage with the North,” Yang told This Week in Asia. “Washington could also ease travel restrictions on its citizens, allowing tours to Pyongyang.” Edward Howell, former Korea Foundation Fellow, said the new US national security strategy released in December was notable for its lack of focus on the Korean peninsula, revealing that Washington’s main priority in the region was to deter Beijing – particularly economically – and not Pyongyang. In an article titled “North Korea in 2026: Will the US and South Korean push for talks succeed?” published on the Chatham House website last month, Howell said the lack of mention of North Korea could also signal a possible attempt by the US to avoid alienating Kim, given Trump’s desire to resume dialogue. The likelihood of talks between Washington and Pyongyang was significantly lower than during the first Trump administration since the failure of the 2019 Hanoi summit between Trump and Kim, while North Korea’s nuclear programme had expanded, he said. “If dialogue does not materialise, Washington and Seoul must still work together to deter Pyongyang through continuing joint military exercises [including with Japan], ensuring the robust enforcement of sanctions, and not succumbing to offering Pyongyang unconditional dialogue,” Howell said. North Korea presently appears to be preoccupied with preparations for the coming party congress, touting that “new records” have been achieved in improving people’s livelihoods. “New standards and new records have been set in many units of the national economy, and the January plans for people’s livelihoods were brilliantly accomplished,” the Korean Central News Agency said on Friday. The party congress, widely expected to convene later this month, is set to outline the country’s policies on the economy, external relations and defence for the next five years. Aside from sanctions, South Korea’s law penalising contact with those from the North also serves as an obstacle to inter-Korean civic exchanges, as official channels of communication remain completely severed. Against this backdrop, 31 lawmakers from the broader pro-government bloc introduced a bill to abolish the decades-old National Security Act, reviving debate over how the country should balance civil liberties with national security. Supporters of the move, including many lawmakers from Lee’s liberal Democratic Party of Korea, describe the 1948 Act – which penalises individuals for “praising, encouraging, disseminating or cooperating” with North Korea – as an outdated instrument that has enabled those in power to silence political dissent. Conservatives led by the main opposition People Power Party argue that eliminating the law would erode South Korea’s capacity to defend itself against espionage. A Korea Gallup survey conducted in December showed respondents favoured maintaining the Act by a margin of 55–21.

Frozen US-North Korea ties may see ‘new progress’, Seoul official says

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The official’s remarks come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

The official’s remarks come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un