South Korean President Moon Jae-in painted a rosy picture of the ongoing denuclearization process on his nation's peninsula and said a second summit between leaders from the U.S. and North Korea could happen "soon."
After that summit, Kim Jong Un may visit Seoul, added Moon, who, during his annual New Year's press conference at the presidential office, or Bluehouse, also urged China to continue to play a "positive role."
Kim's recent visit to Beijing to meet with Xi Jinping stands out as a "good sign," the South Korean president said.
Moon also noted that Pyongyang has offered concessions during the process of denuclearization and that he expects Washington to carry out similar corresponding measures "in order to gradually build trust."
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"This time, North Korea suggested a much more detailed process of denuclearization," said Moon, adding that North Korea would halt missile firings, dismantle nuclear and test sites, and scrap its Yongbyon research center.
Moon spent most of the 20-minute speech talking about South Korea' economy, but the topic dominating the following question-and-answer session with 200 journalists was North Korea.