President Moon Jae-in, left, delivers his address in Singapore, 13 July 2018, and U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in Washington. EPA-Yonhap



By Kim Yoo-chul



The government is discussing with the United States a plan to send a special envoy to North Korea, Cheong Wa Dae officials said Tuesday.



Kim Hyun-chong, deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office (NSO) met with U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Charles Kupperman at the White House, Tuesday (KST), and discussed ways to break the stalemate in denuclearization talks between the U.S. and the North, including sending the envoy.



Kim and Kupperman also discussed the agenda for next week's summit between President Moon Jae-in and President Donald Trump, the officials said.



"One of the main issues at the Kim-Kupperman meeting was how to define denuclearization and to narrow the differences between the U.S. and North Korea," one official said requesting anonymity. "It appears they also touched briefly on the possibility of sending a special envoy to North Korea."



On the way back to his hotel after meetings with U.S. lawmakers, Kim told reporters that his talks with Kupperman were "good," but didn't elaborate further.



Upon his arrival at the Dulles International Airport, near Washington D.C., March 31, he told reporters his visit was aimed at discussing issues for the upcoming summit.



Kim also met with Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Roy Blunt for talks on North Korea.



The official didn't specify who the envoy would be, but Cheong Wa Dae sources said National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon may fulfil the role.



The White House said the prospects of renewed nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang will be discussed during President Moon's visit.





In this file photo taken on Feb. 27, 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their summit at the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. Yonhap