ⓒ YONHAP NewsSouth Korean President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump have held their first summit at the White House.
What immediately captured interest was the leaders' mutual openness to engaging in dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
During his first term, Trump held summit talks with the North Korean leader twice — in 2018 and 2019. Even prior to his re-election, Trump had actively signaled his desire to pursue a third meeting with Kim.
Compared to the period of Trump's direct negotiations with Kim years ago, North Korea's nuclear capabilities have significantly expanded, and the geopolitical landscape has dramatically transformed.
Given that North Korea might now set a higher bar for potential dialogue, it remains uncertain whether the U.S. can successfully bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
Against this complex backdrop, President Lee has proposed to act as a "pacemaker" to facilitate U.S.-North Korea dialogue and advance the Korean Peninsula peace process, hoping Trump will take a leading role as a "peacemaker."
Let's delve into the details of what was discussed during this latest South Korea-U.S. summit regarding North Korea-related issues and the prospects for future dialogue between North Korea and the United States.