THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Kang, Pompeo meet in Poland meet ahead of Hanoi summit

The top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S. met on the sidelines of an international conference in Poland on Thursday to discuss preparations for the Hanoi summit.

According to Seoul's foreign ministry, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed ways to ensure a successful summit, and agreed to continue close coordination at all levels of government.
They also exchanged views on last week's pre-summit talks in Pyeongyang, which involved officials from North Korea and the U.S., and reaffirmed their commitment to achieving denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.


South Korea's National Assembly Speaker says. efforts to advance inter-Korean relations are driven by the goal of achieving North Korea's denuclearization. as well as for the regime to improve its ties with the U.S.
Speaker Moon Hee-sang made the remarks during a speech at the Korea Society -- a non-profit organization dedicated to Seoul-Washington relations.
He said that. Seoul continues to emphasize without the North's abandonment of nuclear weapons, there will be limitations on the improvement of inter-Korean ties, adding that should it give up its nuclear arsenal, Seoul has a strong determination to provide support and cooperate with Pyeongyang.
His comments come amid concerns that inter-Korean relations are advancing at a much faster pace than North Korea-U.S. ties.
Speaker Moon stressed that the peace process on the Korean Peninsula is a global peace process, and that it's a destination South Korea, the U.S., and the international community should be striving towards.


As he enters the third year of his presidency, President Moon Jae-in is discussing ways to reform the state's most powerful agencies, including the judicial branch and the intelligence service.

Speaking to the reform committees of various agencies on Friday, the president said a comprehensive overhaul is not a political matter, but a requirement to ensure a more democratic republic.
He pressed the importance of passing numerous reforms so the system of checks and balances works smoothly between the various agencies, including the Blue House.
The Moon administration has been pressing to rein in the powers granted to police, prosecutors and the security agencies as he looks to eradicate the long-engrained corruption that has blighted previous administrations.

Source: Arirang News