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🇫🇷 France /Conflict & Security

South Korean intelligence says US-North Korea summit could happen at any time

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Ongoing story
  • South Korean intelligence officials assessed that a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could take place at any time.
  • Lawmaker Youn Kun-young said the National Intelligence Service had identified signs of dialogue but presented no evidence of concrete contacts.
  • North Korea has not publicly accepted Trump’s invitation and has conducted short-range ballistic missile tests while criticizing planned naval drills.

A new summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un could take place at any time, according to an assessment presented by South Korea’s intelligence service.

There are signs of dialogue.

— Youn Kun-youngThe South Korean lawmaker described the intelligence assessment after a closed briefing with National Intelligence Service officials.

Lawmaker Youn Kun-young gave the assessment after a closed briefing with National Intelligence Service leaders. He said there were “signs of dialogue” between Washington and Pyongyang, while stressing that officials had presented no facts showing concrete contact between the two sides.

A totally inappropriate and hostile signal.

— Donald TrumpTrump used the phrase to describe annual joint military exercises with South Korea.

Trump surprised observers on Aug. 19 by saying he would meet Kim again before the end of the year. During his first term, from 2017 to 2021, Trump met the North Korean leader three times. He also shortened annual joint military exercises with South Korea, describing them as “a totally inappropriate and hostile signal” to Pyongyang.

Not at all aware.

— Kim Yo-jongKim Yo-jong said she did not know of any communication between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump.

North Korea has not publicly indicated that it accepts the invitation. Kim Yo-jong, Kim’s influential sister, said she was “not at all aware” of any communication between her brother and Trump. North Korea later test-fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles and called planned September naval exercises involving the United States, South Korea and Japan a “threat.”

Threat.

— North KoreaNorth Korea used the word to condemn planned September naval exercises involving the United States, South Korea and Japan.
About this summary

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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