U.S. envoy for N. Korea meets with key Yoon officials

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim on Thursday met with key members of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's foreign policy team to coordinate North Korea policy, officials said.

Kim, who is on a five-day visit to the country, had a breakfast meeting with Kim Sung-han, chief of the Yoon transition team's foreign policy subcommittee, followed by a separate meeting with Unification Minister nominee Kwon Young-se.

During the meetings, the two sides are likely to have discussed the allies' response to North Korean threats amid concern the communist regime could stage major provocations, such as a nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile test, ahead of Yoon's inauguration next month.

Won Il-hee, a transition team spokesperson, confirmed the meetings took place but declined to provide details, citing their confidential nature.

Kim Sung-han is considered Yoon's likely pick for national security adviser. He is also Yoon's childhood friend and foreign policy mentor as well as a former vice foreign minister.

Meanwhile, the U.S. envoy has held wide-ranging meetings in Seoul, including with Foreign Minister nominee Park Jin on Wednesday and a private dinner with Yoon and others on Tuesday.

hague@yna.co.kr
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