[Anchor]

Let's dive deeper into North Korea-related issues with reporter Kim Ayeong.

Kim Ayeong, President Trump seems very proactive about North Korea-U.S. dialogue. What is his intention?

[Reporter]

President Trump is facing the formidable November midterm elections on the domestic political timetable, making a stepping stone of diplomatic achievement necessary.

As there is no clear exit strategy yet from the political mire of the Iran nuclear issue, which faces stinging domestic public opinion, the analysis is that he is turning his gaze toward the North Korean nuclear issue.

Around the U.S. midterm elections, the U.S.-China summit in September and the APEC summit in November are lined up.

Some analyze that by newly recalling the "North Korea risk" to the international community and then taking the shape of presenting a diplomatic solution himself, he aims to heighten his profile.

For Trump, there seems to be an expectation that simply exchanging a freeze on North Korea's nuclear program at its current level and the easing of sanctions against North Korea through words instead of force could earn him domestic and international praise that this is different from the war in Iran.

[Anchor]

North Korea also emphasizes personal ties between the leaders and does not seem to have closed the door to dialogue. What is their intention?

[Reporter]

From North Korea's perspective, such developments are not particularly bad; to exaggerate a bit, some analyze it as a "win-win hand" [Note: literal translation of a favorable multi-option strategy].

Unlike early this year when U.S. military might was shaking the international community, Trump is currently busy trying to find an exit from the war in Iran.

In the meantime, North Korea has solidly cemented North Korea-China-Russia closeness through the war in Ukraine and Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea in June.

The point of interest will be what more North Korea intends to extract.

First, the removal of the denuclearization issue is cited.

Unlike Trump, the U.S. White House and the Department of State consistently talk about North Korea's denuclearization.

North Korea will demand the abandonment of such a pressure stance.

Moreover, if they can even draw out an instruction from President Trump's mouth to completely halt South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, which North Korea counts as a symbol of hostility toward the North, it would be ideal for North Korea.

[Anchor]

Amidst this situation, concerns are also emerging that the South Korean government might be getting bypassed.

[Reporter]

Although the government volunteers to act as a "pacemaker," the North and the U.S. are just beginning to explore whether or not to start the race, so the room to play that role does not look wide yet.

Unlike in the past, there is also the possibility that the U.S. and North Korea will head straight to the dialogue table without going through us.

Coordination between South Korea and the U.S. has thus become all that more important.

The government has presented a three-stage solution: halting, reducing, and dismantling North Korea's nuclear program.

The government's strategy is to promote that process from the side as a "pacemaker," and President Lee Jae-myung praising and paying tribute to Trump's decisive action, along with Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young attributing significance that the first gateway to halting North Korea's nuclear program is ultimately a meeting between North Korea and the U.S., can be seen as an extension of that role theory.