Explanation on Reports of Secret Inter-Korean Contacts Regarding the 'Bold Initiative'
On the 16th, one day before President Yoon Suk-yeol's 100th day in office, the Presidential Office building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul is shown. President Yoon, emphasizing the elimination of authoritarianism, moved the seat of government from the former Blue House to Yongsan. With the president's office relocated to Yongsan, the Blue House has been fully opened to the public. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Presidential Office recently denied media reports claiming that North and South Korean officials secretly met in a third country, calling them "groundless."
A senior official from the Presidential Office responded to questions from reporters regarding whether North and South Korean officials had met, stating, "We are conveying the position from the Presidential Office level," and gave this answer.
The Weekly Chosun reported on the same day, citing multiple high-ranking sources on North Korea, that North and South Korean officials had held at least two secret meetings in a third country.
The report stated that North Korea made a proposal through the North Korean Consul General in Hong Kong last October, requesting an explanation of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's denuclearization roadmap called the "Bold Initiative." Subsequently, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) director-level official (first contact) and Kwon Chun-taek, the NIS First Deputy Director in charge of overseas and North Korea affairs (second contact), engaged in talks.
The Weekly Chosun also reported that government officials "strongly denied the secret North-South contacts" and included a phone conversation with Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office. Kim dismissed the contact rumors, saying, "There was no such proposal from North Korea. It is completely false rumor."
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