Cheong "President Moon recently exchanged letters with Chairman Kim Jong-un"

"North-South Letters Contain Hopes for Restoring Inter-Korean Relations"… Cheong "Letters Sent Within the Last Month"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The Blue House has disclosed that President Moon Jae-in and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un recently exchanged letters. Amid the stalemate in North Korea-US talks, these letters exchanged between the leaders of the South and North contain hopes for improving inter-Korean relations.

Seo Hoon, Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House, stated at a Chuncheon Press Briefing on the 25th, "Regarding Kim Jong-un mentioning the recently accumulated trust and respect, President Moon and Chairman Kim have recently exchanged letters."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Director Seo added, "The letters contained expectations for inter-Korean relations." The North's unusually swift expression of apology regarding the shooting of a missing South Korean official is closely related to the fact that President Moon and Chairman Kim have recently exchanged letters and were making efforts to improve relations.

Director Seo explained, "The prompt response to our official request to the North included an explanation of the circumstances of the incident, containing an apology and regret to our people, as well as measures to prevent recurrence."

Meanwhile, a senior Blue House official, when asked about the timing of the letter exchange between President Moon and Chairman Kim, said, "It can be understood as within the last month," but added, "At this time, it is not appropriate to mention inter-Korean relations in relation to the current situation (regarding the improvement of the situation)."