South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes there is a strong chance that North Korea and the United States will hold a summit, likely after March next year, according to a South Korean lawmaker.
Lawmaker Park Sun-won shared the assessment with reporters following a parliamentary audit of the NIS, saying Pyongyang is evaluating the Trump administration’s officials responsible for North Korea policy, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly called for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his recent visit to South Korea, though Kim did not respond publicly. Trump told reporters he expects talks to resume “in the not-too-distant future.”
The NIS reportedly expects Pyongyang may pursue a summit after major events early next year, including joint South Korea-U.S. military drills, a North Korean military parade, and a ruling party congress.
Kim Jong Un has previously stated he is open to talks if Washington drops demands related to denuclearisation.
The White House has not commented on the possibility of a summit. Trump and Kim held two historic meetings in 2018 and 2019, but negotiations stalled over North Korea’s nuclear program and sanctions.
Park also said the agency believes Kim Jong Un is not suffering from any serious health issues, following speculation about high blood pressure.
Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, viewed as his likely successor, has reportedly kept a low profile for the past two months to avoid overshadowing her father. Her public role increased after accompanying him on a visit to China in early September.