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South's unification minister optimistic on possibility of North-U.S. summit on APEC sidelines

Published: 16 Oct. 2025, 10:47 Updated: 16 Oct. 2025, 11:17

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young answers questions from lawmakers during a parliamentary audit of the Unification Ministry at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Oct. 14. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump could take place on the sidelines of the Oct. 31 APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang.

“If President Trump decides to go forward, a North-U.S. summit at APEC is quite possible,” Chung said on the MBC program “Son Seok-hee’s Questions” on Wednesday. "If the meeting takes place, the likely venue would be the North Korean side of Panmunjom.”

Panmunjom is a truce village located in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea, where the two sides held armistice talks during the Korean War and continue to conduct inter-Korean and international meetings.

Chung cited recent diplomatic developments as signs of momentum toward a possible summit. He pointed to the White House’s openness to “unconditional talks,” Trump’s stated willingness to meet within the year and Kim’s recent messaging that appears to exclude denuclearization from the agenda while carefully managing public signals toward Washington.

According to Chung, Kim’s letter to Trump included complaints about the South Korea-U.S. combined military exercises, and whether a summit occurs may hinge on what kind of proposal Trump makes in response.

“The success of the summit will depend on what kind of proposal President Trump makes to discuss the issue,” Chung said.

Chung also noted Kim devoted around “40 percent” of his speech at the Supreme People’s Assembly in September to messaging aimed at the United States and South Korea. Kim’s recent participation in China’s Victory Day event, where he reinforced ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, was also described by Chung as “securing allies ahead of a possible summit.”

“President Trump is the only U.S. president who has both the willingness and capacity to fundamentally shift the situation on the Korean Peninsula,” Chung said. “Kim must realize that missing this Trump window could mean losing the opportunity altogether.”

Chung suggested the meeting should not involve South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

“When President Moon Jae-in joined in 2019, it didn't seem so great,” Chung said. “If the meeting happens on the North’s side of Panmunjom, the South Korean president should not be present,” citing Kim’s apparent refusal to engage directly with the South.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un congratulates and encourages participants of the Oct. 12 event celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea. [YONHAP]

Addressing concerns about a possible return to tongmi bongnam, a Korean term meaning North Korea's dialogue with the United States while sidelining the South, Chung said, “A temporary period of tongmi bongnam is acceptable. There’s no need to worry under the Lee Jae Myung administration.”

Regarding North Korea’s stance on denuclearization, Chung said Pyongyang has carried out all eight stages of nuclear development outlined in the 1992 Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, except for importing nuclear materials.

He stressed that while the South maintains denuclearization as a long-term goal, “the immediate priority should be to halt the expansion of the North’s nuclear capabilities,” calling it a necessary first step.

Chung also addressed the recent controversy surrounding his remark that North Korea is one of the “three countries capable of striking the United States,” saying it was “not about technological capabilities but the range of intercontinental ballistic missiles and the political message they carry.”

"The United States genuinely fears North Korea’s delivery systems,” Chung said. "Kim has spent nearly a month carefully calibrating his messaging toward the United States. The key lies in Trump’s hands, and if he makes the decision, a summit on the sidelines of APEC is a strong possibility.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]