SEOUL, October 27. /TASS/. The administration of the Republic of Korea’s president considers a sudden meeting between US and North Korean leaders Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un at the inter-Korean border during the APEC summit unlikely, but does not rule out such a development, deputy director of national security for the South Korean presidential office, Oh Hyun-joo, stated.
"Our administration’s overall assessment is that there are no specific signs indicating this meeting will take place," she said during a press conference. "I have no substantive information [that the meeting will happen]. Only speculation in the newspapers," the official added.
She was asked about the likelihood of such a meeting several times. Later, she noted that the 2019 meeting between Kim Jong Un and Trump at the inter-Korean border was arranged on short notice. Oh Hyun-joo explained that the South Korean presidential administration considers a meeting unlikely based on its own understanding of North Korea’s probable actions. However, in Oh Hyun-joo’s opinion, North Korea often "defies South Korean expectations." The official did not, however, completely rule out the possibility of talks.
The day before, South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac expressed a similar position. According to him, Seoul sees no signs of preparations for a meeting but is ready for such a scenario.