Kono Hints at Possible Talks with N. Korean Counterpart in Aug.

May 30, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Wednesday that he may hold direct talks with his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Singapore in August.

"As we met last year, you can assume that the possibility exists" this year, Kono told a meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.

In August last year, Kono and Ri had a brief conversation when they visited Manila to attend a ministerial meeting related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

This year, the same ASEAN-related event is scheduled to take place in Singapore on Aug. 1-4.

"I directly told him (Ri) of Japan's position" during last year's conversation, Kono said. "Nothing has been decided" about a format for their possible talks this year, he said.

"Various developments could occur" after a potential summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12, Kono noted. Jiji Press