'Urging North Korea to Resume Dialogue' Vice Secretary Biegun Concludes Visit to Korea with Dinner Hosted by Kang Kyung-wha

Lunch with Lee Do-hoon, Head of the Korean Peninsula Headquarters, and Kent Hahushtet, Sweden's Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula
Return on the morning of the 12th

Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, is giving a lecture on "The Future of the United States and the Korean Peninsula" on the afternoon of the 10th at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, who is visiting South Korea, will hold a luncheon meeting with Kent H?st?dt, Sweden's Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula, on the last day of his visit on the 11th, and attend a dinner hosted by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

On the same day, Deputy Secretary Biegun is scheduled to have a luncheon meeting at a location in downtown Seoul with Kent H?st?dt, Sweden's Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula, and Lee Do-hoon, Director-General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These individuals have been key figures coordinating and closely consulting on Korean Peninsula issues, including North Korea-U.S. negotiations, for over two years. H?st?dt was deeply involved in the January meeting last year between Deputy Secretary Biegun and Choe Son-hui, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, as well as the Stockholm North Korea-U.S. working-level talks.

Following the luncheon, a dinner will be held at the Hannam-dong official residence at the invitation of Minister Kang Kyung-wha. Minister Kang will host the U.S. delegation, including Deputy Secretary Biegun, for an encouragement dinner, evaluating the U.S. side's efforts to advance the South Korea-U.S. relationship and the Korean Peninsula peace process, while also requesting continued interest and support from the U.S. side going forward.

Earlier, on the 10th, Deputy Secretary Biegun met with Minister of Unification Lee In-young and held private meetings with key diplomatic and security officials including National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won and National Security Office Chief Seo Woon to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula and regional issues.

He later gave a public lecture at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, emphasizing that the Singapore Agreement reached in 2018 between President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un still holds potential, and that South Korea, North Korea, and the U.S. must work together for peace on the Korean Peninsula. He particularly urged North Korea to make diplomatic efforts to resume dialogue ahead of the 8th Party Congress scheduled for January next year. In the evening, he had a 'Dakhanmari' dinner with First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-geon.

Deputy Secretary Biegun will conclude his visit with the dinner with Minister Kang and return to the U.S. on the morning of the 12th via a private plane.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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