North Korea is willing to hold talks with the U.S. on abandoning nuclear weapons, which the rogue state would pursue if its government's security is ensured, South Korean President Moon Jae-in's top security adviser said, according to Seoul's Yonhap News.
Chung Eui-yong, who led a South Korean delegation that met recently with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, said the reclusive leader agreed to put the denuclearization issue on the negotiation table with the U.S. without any conditions. The communist regime was also willing to discuss how to normalize bilateral ties.
"The North side clearly affirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and said it would have no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and military threats against North Korea removed," Chung was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.
"Chairman Kim said the denuclearization issue may be discussed as an agenda for the North-U.S. dialogue," Chung added. "What we must especially pay attention to is the fact that [he] has clearly stated that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was an instruction of his predecessor and that there has been no change to such an instruction."
Pyongyang also vowed to suspend all military provocations, including nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests, while engaged in talks with Washington, Chung added.
Chung said Moon and Kim will hold a summit in late April at a joint security area along their countries' borders. A hotline between the two leaders will also be established for holding close consultations and easing of military tensions.
Reacting on the South Korean delegation's meeting with Kim, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted, "We will see what happens!"
Trump later tweeted: "For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!"
The president said in February that the U.S. was also interested in talks with North Korea, but "only under the right conditions," according to The New York Times.
In January U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned North Korea against staging another missile test. She also said Washington would not take any talks between North and South Korea seriously if nothing was done to get Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.
