Wi Sung-lac, head of the presidential Office of National Security, said on the 24th, "We discussed ways to advance U.S.–North Korea and inter-Korean dialogue with the United States and held consultations on coordinating North Korea policy, keeping in mind various diplomatic occasions in the first half of next year."
The Deputy Minister held a briefing on visits to the United States, Canada and Japan at the Chunchugwan press center at the Blue House on the morning of the day and said, "We shared with the United States the situation of severed dialogue with North Korea."
He added, "In addition, we broadly exchanged views on U.S.–China relations, the Russia–Ukraine war trends and the situation in Northeast Asia," and "We also visited New York to meet with the U.N. secretary-general and the under-secretary-general for political affairs, and discussed various pending issues between Korea and the U.N. and ways to strengthen cooperation, including peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula."
The government is watching for the possibility that U.S.–North Korea talks may materialize soon. When U.S. President Donald Trump visits China in April next year to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, he could also meet with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un. The government is also actively pushing North Korea policy to enable inter-Korean dialogue. In a business report on the 19th, the Unification Ministry mentioned a special envoy for peace on the Korean Peninsula and easing sanctions on North Korea to facilitate inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation.
Regarding the North Korea policy being pursued by the Unification Ministry, the Deputy Minister said, "Government ministries can offer opinions and proposals on policies they are focusing on. Those proposals are discussed at the National Security Council (NSC). We will coordinate well."