[Yonhap News Photo]
SEOUL -- South Korea's foreign minister voiced optimism about a historic inter-Korean summit this week, saying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is well aware that international sanctions and pressure would derail his push for domestic economic development.
Kang Kyung-wha said at a peace forum in Seoul Wednesday that South Korea will try to seek a consensus with North Korea at their summit on Friday in the truce village of Panmunjom on establishing a peace regime instead of a fragile truce accord, which was signed at the end of 1950-53 Korean War.
"Chairman Kim Jong-un declared that he will do his utmost for domestic economic development, and he knows well that it is not possible under the current frame of international sanctions," Kang said. "I think there is a lot of room to find a compromise if he comes out of such a perception."
She said the complete and peaceful settlement of the North's nuclear issue is closely related to the issue of establishing a peace regime on the peninsula. "Resolving the North Korean nuclear issue is a major precondition for restoring lasting peace on the Korean peninsula and a key issue to be discussed" at the inter-Korean summit and talks later between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump, she said.
The inter-Korean summit is a starting point for building a foundation for denuclearization and will serve as a guide to the success of the upcoming summit between Kim and Trump, she said.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
