Moon holds historic meeting with NK delegation at Blue House

President Moon Jae-in on Saturday met with the North Korean delegation at the presidential office, as speculation rose about the historic talks.

Led by Kim Yong-nam, the North’s nominal head of state, the delegation that arrived at Cheong Wa Dae at 11 a.m. is the highest level group to be hosted by Seoul’s presidential office.

The delegation also includes Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, who has rapidly expanding influence within the North’s power structure. Kim Yo-jong is the first of the North’s Kim dynasty to visit the South.

At the meeting, a luncheon hosted by the president, the two sides discussed a range of issues concerning the two Koreas.

Kim Yo-jong, whose presence has drawn far more media attention than the chief delegate, came to the meeting carrying a blue folder, appearing tenser than she had on the previous day, according to pool reports.

The inclusion of Kim Yo-jong in the North’s high-level delegation to the PyeongChang Olympics fed speculations that she may bring a personal message for Moon from her brother. Some local media have gone as far as to describe the meeting as “effectively being an inter-Korean summit.”

US media have reported that the North’s delegation may invite Moon to a summit with Kim Jong-un, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.

The North‘s delegation arrived in South Korea on Kim Jong-un’s private airplane Friday via Incheon International Airport.

Along with the two Kims, Chairman of the North’s National Sports Guidance Committee Choe Hwi and Chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country Ri Son-gwon also arrived at the presidential office. 

In the meeting, Moon was flanked by a number of top aides, including Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok, National Security Council chief Chung Eui-yong, National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon, and Minister of Unification Cho Myoung-gyon.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)