(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 3-4, photo)
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Lee In-young met with the U.S. envoy for North Korea and discussed a coordinated approach to jump-start stalled talks with Pyongyang, his office said Tuesday.
During the breakfast meeting, Lee and U.S. Special Representative Sung Kim shared their overall views on the current situation and discussed how to resume dialogue and cooperation with the North at an early date.
Lee expressed hopes that the allies' efforts for engagement will be successful and stressed the need to stably manage the situation on the peninsula, the ministry said in a press release after the meeting.
Kim said the U.S. does not have hostile intent toward the North, stressing the importance of maintaining close bilateral relations to address North Korean issues through diplomacy and engagement, including in the field of humanitarian assistance.
His visit here comes amid chilled inter-Korean relations after the North blasted the South and the United States for going ahead with their joint military exercise and warned of a
(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 3-4, photo) SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Lee In-young met with the U.S. envoy for North Korea and discussed a coordinated approach to jump-start stalled talks with Pyongyang, his office said Tuesday. During the breakfast meeting, Lee and U.S. Special Representative Sung Kim shared their overall views on the current situation and discussed how to resume dialogue and cooperation with the North at an early date. Lee expressed hopes that the allies' efforts for engagement will be successful and stressed the need to stably manage the situation on the peninsula, the ministry said in a press release after the meeting. Kim said the U.S. does not have hostile intent toward the North, stressing the importance of maintaining close bilateral relations to address North Korean issues through diplomacy and engagement, including in the field of humanitarian assistance. His visit here comes amid chilled inter-Korean relations after the North blasted the South and the United States for going ahead with their joint military exercise and warned of a "serious security crisis." Unification Minister Lee In-young (right) shakes hands with US special representative for North Korea, Sung Kim ahead of their breakfast meeting in Seoul on Tuesday. (Unification Ministry)

Unification Minister Lee In-young met with the visiting US envoy for North Korea on Tuesday and together they discussed ways to resume stalled nuclear talks at the earliest and engage with Pyongyang.

During an hourlong breakfast meeting, Lee and the US special representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, shared their views on the North’s recent attitude and the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, a ministry official said.

Lee stressed the need for the stable management of the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and raised hope for the allies’ efforts of engagement with Pyongyang to produce outcome, the ministry said in a statement.

In turn, Kim said Washington holds no hostile intent toward Pyongyang and reaffirmed the need for close coordination between the US and South Korea to resolve issues on the peninsula through diplomacy and engagement, including humanitarian assistance.

The two sides vowed to continue communication and cooperation for the development of inter-Korean ties and the US-North Korea relations.  

Kim’s Seoul trip comes amid heightened tension over Seoul and Washington’s combined military drills, which Pyongyang denounced as the “most vivid expression of the US hostile policy” toward the North and warned the allies of a “security crisis.”

The US diplomat met with Vice Unification Minister Choi Young-jun on Monday afternoon. The pair exchanged views on the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula and discussed ways to cooperate in dealing with the North.

During Kim’s four-day stay here, which ends Tuesday, the allies reaffirmed their commitment to providing humanitarian aid to the North, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic situation and as severe weather may be exacerbating food shortages across the border.

South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk said the two sides talked about various areas of humanitarian aid, including health care, measures against infectious diseases, safe water and sanitation, after his talks with Kim. Noh also added the pair discussed ways to provide humanitarian assistance through international organizations and nongovernmental organizations.