Pyongyang has told Washington that it is ready to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump meet, a U.S. official has confirmed to NPR.
In direct contacts between U.S. and North Korean officials, the latter relayed to the Trump administration that Kim is willing to talk about the key sticking point in relations between the two countries, NPR’s Michele Kelemen reported late Sunday.
As The Associated Press writes: “The confirmation from Pyongyang directly, rather than from third countries like South Korea, has created more confidence within Trump’s administration about the wisdom of holding such a meeting, as U.S. officials make secretive preparations.”
However, it is not clear what Pyongyang means by denuclearization, whether it is simply halting its weapons program or eliminating it altogether.