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FROM EIR DAILY ALERT


North Korea’s Vice Chairman Kim Yong-chol To Meet Jan. 18 with Pompeo and Trump

Jan. 17, 2019 (EIRNS)—The South China Morning Post and several other media have confirmed that North Korean Vice Chairman Kim Yong-chol, the Pyongyang government’s chief negotiator for nuclear talks with the U.S., will meet Friday morning, Jan. 18, in Washington with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and most likely with President Donald Trump as well.

The meeting will reportedly be to prepare the groundwork for the next summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un, said to be planned for some time in March or April. Danang, Vietnam has been mentioned as a likely venue for the summit.

Yonhap news agency reported today that Kim Yong-chol will be carrying a letter for President Trump from Chairman Kim Jong-un, and according to the Washington Post, following his meeting with Kim Yong-chol, President Trump may announce the date and the venue for the next meeting as early as tomorrow.

At the same time, North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui arrived in Stockholm, where she’ll be attending a seminar, but may also meet with Stephen Biegun, U.S. special envoy for Pyongyang. This would be their first meeting.

Also today, Yonhap reports, South Korean and U.S. officials met by video-conference, to discuss pending North Korea-related issues, including Seoul’s push for a humanitarian program for the North. Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk reported in a press briefing that there was also general discussion about resuming Seoul-Pyongyang dialogue, including “consultations on video reunions of separated families, and the exchange of video letters,” referring to those with family members on the other side of the demilitarized zone.

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