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Blue House spokesperson Kim Eui-kyum

On June 7, the Blue House said that the chances are decreasing that the North Korea-US summit in Singapore on June 12 will be followed by a summit among the leaders of South Korea, North Korea and the US aimed at formally ending the Korean War.

“The more time that passes, the less likely it is that President Moon Jae-in [will visit Singapore]. But at the current moment, we can’t say for sure whether or not [a trilateral summit] will be held,” Blue House spokesperson Kim Eui-kyum said during a meeting with reporters.

US President Donald Trump had raised expectations about a trilateral summit when he said on June 1 following his meeting with North Korean Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and director of the WPK United Front Department, that a formal end to the war would be discussed prior to the North Korea-US summit.

On May 27, President Moon also mentioned his “hope that a push could be made to declare the end of the Korean War through a trilateral summit between South Korea, North Korea and the US if the North Korea-US summit proves successful.” The Blue House has reportedly been preparing for the possibility of holding such a trilateral summit.

“It’s safe to assume that President Moon will probably not be going to Singapore for the North Korea-US summit on June 12. That would imply that a trilateral summit won’t be held,” said another senior Blue House official. Though only five days remain before the North Korea-US summit, President Moon has apparently neither received a response from North Korea or the US to his proposal for a trilateral summit nor has he been invited to attend.

If a trilateral summit is not held at the time of the North Korea-US summit, the Blue House believes, the next opportunity is likely to be around July 27, the anniversary of the armistice agreement. “If the North Korea-US summit has positive results, it should be possible for the leaders of South Korea, North Korea and the US to declare the end of the war at Panmunjeom on July 27, on the 65th anniversary of the armistice agreement.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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