Unification Minister Kim Young-ho said talks between North Korea and the United States would be difficult without South Korea’s involvement. 

The minister made the comment Sunday on a KBS program.

Acknowledging that there are concerns that South Korea could be excluded from a future U.S.-North Korea dialogue, the minister said Seoul is cementing cooperation with Washington to address the concerns. 

Discussing North Korea’s nuclear weapons, Kim stressed the need to produce specific guidelines in advance in coordination with the incoming U.S. administration. 

Kim also said that no matter how much Donald Trump values personal diplomacy during his second presidency, he will have to consider the positions of NATO and South Korea if he intends to hold dialogue with North Korea at a time when the North has sent troops to Russia. 

Regarding concerns that Pyongyang may seek disarmament talks with Washington or try to persuade the U.S. to recognize North Korea as a nuclear weapons state, the minister said South Korea cannot accept disarmament talks that tolerate North Korea’s nuclear weapons.