Anchor: Ahead of the South Korea-U.S. summit next week, President Moon Jae-in revealed his positions on pending bilateral issues in a series of interviews with American media. Moon said he hopes to induce North Korea back to dialogue within this year.
Kim Bum-soo wraps up the South Korean president's remarks about the THAAD deployment and North Korea policies.
 
Report: President Moon Jae-in says getting an environmental-impact assessment does not necessarily mean that Seoul will postpone or reverse its decision to house the U.S. antimissile battery THAAD.
 
In an interview with the Washington Post released on Wednesday, the South Korean president said that the issue is not that simple, noting that the deployment must go through due process in South Korea.
 
Moon, however, stressed that he will not take Seoul and Washington's joint decision lightly as U.S. troops in South Korea wait to deploy the remaining four THAAD launchers after two and a radar were put in place in April. 
 
Moon also told the U.S. daily that his North Korea policies are very similar to President Donald Trump's tactics of maximum pressure and engagement.
 
He said Seoul will exert pressure on Pyongyang but if the regime makes some progress on denuclearization, the issue of reopening the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex could be put on the table. 
 
He called Kim Jong-un an unreasonable leader and a very dangerous person but said Seoul and Washington must deal with him as Kim holds effective control over North Korea.
 
In another interview with “CBS This Morning” Moon said that he hopes to induce North Korea to rejoin dialogue within this year. 
 
His comments came as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that Pyongyang is moving further away from the conditions needed to hold dialogue, following the death of Otto Warmbier, who was released from North Korea in a coma after a 17 month detention.
 
During interviews with American media, the South Korean president denounced the North for failing to notify Warmbier's family about his condition and provide treatment, while extending his condolences. 
 
Moon and Trump are expected to coordinate their policies when they meet at the White House next week for their first summit.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.  

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