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| ▲ Unification Minister Chung Dong-young attends a Cabinet meeting on Aug. 26, 2025. (Yonhap) |
unification minister-Lee-Trump summit
Lee-Trump summit shows leaders share identical approach to building peace: unification minister
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) -- The recent summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump shows they share an identical approach to strategies for building peace on the Korean Peninsula, the unification minister said Tuesday.
Chung Dong-young, Seoul's top point man on North Korea's policy, made the remarks to reporters shortly after the Lee-Trump summit was held in Washington on Monday, where the two leaders exchanged comments calling for the resumption of dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.
"This shows that both South Korean and U.S. presidents are aligned in their approach and methodology for the strategy to build peace on the Korean Peninsula," the minister said.
In a press availability following the summit, Trump expressed his desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un within the year, saying, "It's hard to say that, but I'd like to meet him this year."
Chung said that Trump's remarks raise expectations for "an early resumption of a North Korea-U.S. summit," adding that efforts are needed to foster the environment for its resumption.
The minister emphasized the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korean as an opportunity to facilitate a Kim-Trump summit, noting that the government "needs to utilize Trump's visit to South Korea" on that occasion.
The APEC is scheduled to kick off in late October in the southeastern city of Gyeongju. Trump suggested his possible attendance at the APEC summit during the summit with Lee.
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