WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

Trump Administration ‘Very Actively’ Trying to Convince North Korea to Return to Negotiations

South Korea says the Trump administration is “very actively” trying to persuade North Korea to return to nuclear disarmament negotiations before Kim Jong Un’s year-end deadline.

The Trump administration is “very actively” trying to get North Korea to come back to the bargaining table, South Korea’s national security adviser Chung Eui-yong said Sunday. The urgency to reignite talks comes as time winds down on a year-end deadline set by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last April for the U.S. to show more flexibility in talks. North Korean officials have repeatedly warned the U.S. not to ignore the deadline without specifying what will happen if they do. Talks between the U.S. and North Korea have been deadlocked since October. “Only if talks between high-ranking officials happen and lead to substantial progress, will the third North Korea-United States summit be possible,” Chung said Sunday.