'U.S.-North Korea Meeting' Canceled…Trump "Will Meet Kim at Some Point"

Indicated continued engagement in future North Korea relations

President Lee: "The mere request for a meeting is a seed of peace"

A planned surprise meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, which had been discussed on the sidelines of the Gyeongju Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, was called off on the 29th. However, President Trump expressed his intention to "engage in North Korea issues at some point," showing his willingness to remain involved in North Korea-related matters such as the nuclear issue.

President Lee, at the Gyeongju Arts Center during a Korea-U.S. summit with President Trump, officially announced the failure of the U.S.-North Korea meeting, saying, "Chairman Kim did not fully accept the president's sincerity, so the (U.S.-North Korea) meeting fell through." He added, "The fact that the president requested a meeting with Chairman Kim and said he could accept it at any time by itself creates a considerable warmth of peace on the Korean Peninsula."

President Lee said, "I think this will also become a seed that will lead to a huge wave of peace on the Korean Peninsula, and we will watch the president's actions with great expectations," adding, "If this great capability leaves the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula as a major achievement, the president will have accomplished something of great significance in world history." He continued, "For us as the people of the Republic of Korea, it would also be a major achievement resolving a very old and large problem."

President Trump also stated, "This time the timing didn't work out, so we couldn't have the (U.S.-North Korea) meeting." He said, "I will work with Kim Jong-un to resolve everything," calling it "obviously the right result, 'common sense.'" He further expressed his willingness to work for stability on the Korean Peninsula, saying, "I know that you (the two Koreas) are officially in a state of war on the peninsula, and we will see what we can do to set all of that right."

North Korea revealed the previous day's cruise missile launch through the state-run Korean Central News Agency a few hours before President Trump's visit to South Korea. Upon hearing this, President Trump, en route from Japan to Korea on his plane, said, "We really understand each other well. At some point I will meet him," adding, "I also want to focus on China. Now our focus is on tomorrow (the U.S.-China summit)."

Earlier, President Trump had repeatedly said during his ASEAN tour that he wanted to extend his stay in South Korea through the 30th to meet Kim Jong-un if necessary, but North Korea had not issued any response as of that morning.

Gyeongju=Reporter Bae Seong-su baebae@hankyung.com