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The US envoy for North Korea showed up in Seoul on Monday for talks with his South Korean equivalents about how to address Pyongyang’s increased nuclear missiles and issues about the possibility of nuclear testing restarting. US Special Spokesperson Sung Kim and his deputy, Jung Pak, will meet with South Korean officials, along with nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, during a five-day visit. Their arrival coincided with the start of a nine-day annual joint military exercise between US and South Korean forces. The exercise will be a “defensive command post-training using computer simulation,” with no troop field maneuvers, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday.
The joint drills have been condemned by North Korea as “war rehearsals,” and they have been reduced in recent years as part of an attempt to engage Pyongyang in diplomacy and due to COVID-19 restrictions.
North Korea test-fired what state media said were missiles capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons on Saturday.
Kim told reporters upon his arrival that he was in Seoul to continue “close coordination” on North Korean developments, according to Yonhap news agency, without elaborating.
He has stated that he is willing to hold talks with North Korea at any time and without prerequisites, but Pyongyang has so far rejected those overtures, accusing Washington of continuing hostile policies such as sanctions and military drills.
Kim was also supposed to meet with the transition team for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who assumed office in May, according to South Korean media.
A team spokesperson said there was no confirmed meeting between Yoon and Kim, and it was unclear whether the envoy would meet with other transition officials.
