Biegun discusses NK with top South Korean officials

National Security Office deputy chief Kim Hyun-chong met with US special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun on Friday to discuss recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, Cheong Wa Dae said.

According to Seoul’s presidential office, the meeting began at 3 p.m. and lasted 80 minutes, during which they discussed developments surrounding North Korea, as well as South Korea-US cooperation on the matter. 

Biegun is in South Korea to attend a meeting of the Seoul-Washington working group on North Korea.

Biegun’s meeting with Kim came just a day after North Korea fired two projectiles -- believed to be short-range ballistic missiles -- into the East Sea from the country’s northwest. 

On May 4, North Korea launched a barrage of projectiles, including some believed to be part of a newly developed tactical guided weapons system, from its east coast.

Ahead of the meeting with Kim, Biegun met with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. According to the ministry, Biegun stated that the door to denuclearization talks remained open, despite Pyongyang’s recent actions.

Pyongyang’s recent actions also prompted a warning from President Moon Jae-in, who had for the most part maintained a favorable assessment of Pyongyang.

“I want to warn North Korea that dialogue and negotiations could become difficult should such actions be repeated,” Moon said Thursday, during his first interview on the topic with a local broadcast.

Nevertheless, Moon said he believed Pyongyang was carefully calculating its moves to avoid damaging talks with the US beyond repair.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)