Kang Kyung-hwa: "Even if Trump mentioned North Korea less... US State Department sees North Korea issue as key"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Won Dara] Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha stated that although President Trump's mentions of North Korea have decreased, the U.S. State Department still considers North Korea issues central and is communicating in various ways.

Responding to a question from Park Ji-won, a member of the Democratic United Party, during the National Assembly's government questioning session on the 2nd about the North Korean Peninsula issue being pushed aside, Minister Kang said, "It is true that President Trump's mentions of North Korea have become rare, but from the perspective of State Department officials, North Korea remains a core issue, and Representative Stephen Biegun is also paying attention."

When Park pointed out that no one other than Deputy Secretary Biegun from the State Department is speaking on the matter, she explained, "Although nothing is publicly visible, efforts are being made through various communication channels between South and North Korea."

Regarding the promotion of individual tours to North Korea, she said, "We are closely communicating not only with the United States but also with China, Japan, and Russia about the various New Year's proposals announced by the President in his New Year's address," adding, "The willingness for inter-Korean cooperation, including from the U.S., is being evaluated positively."

Minister Kang stated, "It is necessary to first establish a plan on how to proceed, and during the implementation process, continuous communication with the United States is required."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.