South Korea open to reviving North Korea talks, seeks progress on nuclear weapons

Jerusalem Post/World NewsSeoul believes the resumption of talks between the US and North Korea should focus on progress on the North Korean nuclear weapons issue and must not undermine the country's security readiness.Follow us on GoogleNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the opening ceremony of the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations honouring North Korean troops killed while fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in Pyongyang, North Korea, April 26, 2026.(photo credit: KCNA VIA REUTERS)AUGUST 28, 2026 07:39South Korea supports US President Donald Trump's efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea, but aims to ensure its security posture is not weakened and that Seoul is not sidelined, South Korea's national security adviser said on Friday.Seoul believes the resumption of talks between the US and North Korea should focus on progress on the North Korean nuclear weapons issue and must not undermine the country's security readiness, Wi Sung-lac told reporters."One point to keep in mind is the need to coordinate with the United States to ensure that any resumption of US-North Korea dialog leads to substantive progress on the North Korean nuclear issue, alongside efforts to establish a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula," Wi said.To achieve these aims, he said policy coordination and communication between South Korea and the United States were more important than ever.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observes an assessment of the newly built naval destroyer Kang Kon's combat systems, including the test firing of a strategic cruise missile, at an unknown location in North Korea, July 3, 2026. (credit: KCNA/REUTERS)Trump seeks to kickstart North Korean talksWi cited Trump's order earlier this month to substantially scale back major joint military drills between the two allies, saying the US president was signaling a willingness to engage with North Korea.At the same time, Seoul should ensure it was not "sidelined" in Washington's efforts to restart talks with Pyongyang, Wi said.Trump cited in part Seoul's refusal to offer help in the Iran war for cutting short the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills this month and said they sent a wrong message to North Korea. Trump has been seeking a new summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.The two met three times in 2018 and 2019.South Korea, Japan and the United States will conduct joint military drills from September 9 to 11 to test readiness against North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons threats, South Korea said on Friday.Wi said South Korea is seeking to deepen cooperation with Washington on a range of issues that have sometimes caused friction between the allies.These include South Korean investment in the US agreed under a trade deal, the treatment of US-listed e-commerce firm Coupang, security cooperation, intelligence sharing and the transfer of wartime operational control, he said.Follow us on Google