South Korea's Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha speaks during a press meeting at the Korea Cultural Center in Washington on Wednesday. (Yonhap)


South Korea is keeping a close watch on the prospects of renewed engagement between Washington and Pyongyang ahead of US President Donald Trump’s plann 바다이야기프로그램다운로드 ed trip to China, Seoul’s ambassador to the United States said Wednesday.
“On the potential for US-North Korea talks, we are closely tracking related developments while considering all possi 사아다쿨 ble options,” Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha said during a press briefing with South Korean reporters in Washington.
Kang’s remarks come amid reports that Trump is planning a trip to China from l 바다이야기게임2 ate next month to early April for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, fueling speculation that he could pursue another outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his time in Asia.
바다이야기게임기She said Seoul is reviewing the situation from multiple angles, including the trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine war, shifting dynamics in US-China relations and the current state of ties between 체리마스터pc용다운로드 Pyongyang and Beijing.
The visit coincides with North Korea’s ninth congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, where Pyongyang was yet to send a direct message to Washington or Seoul as of noon Wednesday. The attention is focused on whether it will respond to overtures for renewed talks as it unveils a new five-year plan expected to lay out its policy direction toward the US and South Korea.
Kang also highlighted that Seoul has been in steady coordination with the US National Security Council, the State Department and other relevant agencies in Washington to share assessments and closely track developments related to North Korea.
“The US has consistently said there is no change in its policy toward North Korea and that it will closely communicate with us before and after any developments to ensure nothing catches Seoul off guard,” she said.
A senior Foreign Ministry official in Seoul, declining to be named, had expressed a similar cautious stance Tuesday, saying any progress on denuclearization ultimately hinges on Pyongyang’s willingness to engage.
Asked whether the government’s three-stage denuclearization framework ? described as a phased approach of halting, reducting and eventually eliminating nuclear armament ? could move forward even if North Korea shows no clear intent to denuclearize, the official said, “All of this ultimately requires North Korea to come to the table. Otherwise, it would amount to nothing more than a tabletop exercise.”
The official added that while the possibility of US-North Korea contact on the sidelines of the anticipated US-China summit appears to remain open, “the key question is whether North Korea will engage. At this point, it is neither a clear ‘no’ nor a ‘yes.’”
Seoul has said its ultimate goal remains achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through a phased and realistic process, but officials acknowledge that diplomatic momentum will depend on Pyongyang’s response.
Kang's remarks coincided with a visit to Washington by South Korea’s top nuclear envoy, Jeong Yeon-doo, for consultations on Korean Peninsula issues. Jeong is currently in Washington, where he is scheduled to meet key US government and academic figures, including Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno, and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael George DeSombre.
There are growing concerns in Seoul of slow progress in follow-up consultations on the security provisions of the Korea-US joint fact sheet, but the senior Foreign Ministry official official downplayed the issue, saying the delay in a planned visit by a US delegation stems from scheduling and coordination challenges rather than any bilateral friction.
Meanwhile, Kang also touched on trade issues following the Trump administration’s move to impose a new temporary global tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act. The 10 percent tariff, which took effect this week, is intended to replace sweeping emergency duties that the US Supreme Court recently struck down, with Trump signaling that the rate could rise to 15 percent.
“As to the Supreme Court ruling, our government plans to respond in a way that best serves our national interests,” Kang said, adding that the embassy would work to ensure bilateral consultations proceed in an amicable atmosphere.
Washington is also expected to launch trade investigations under Section 301 of the same law, potentially targeting major trading partners over issues such as the treatment of US tech firms and digital trade. Kang said Seoul will maintain close consultations with Korean companies operating in the United States and business groups to provide timely and accurate information, including regarding tariff refund procedures, which remain uncertain.