South Korea's National Intelligence Service said on the 1st that there are "signs of dialogue between the United States and North Korea," assessing that a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is "possible at any time." Indications also emerged that the White House is making working-level preparations related to U.S.-North Korea talks.
The NIS reported to the National Assembly's intelligence committee on the 1st that a U.S.-North Korea summit "must be considered possible at any moment." Rep. Yoon Kun-young of the Democratic Party of Korea, the ruling party's secretary on the committee, told reporters after the full committee session that the NIS had reported to the effect that "no facts have been confirmed regarding specific contacts between the U.S. and North Korea, but there are signs of dialogue."
On the possibility of additional North Korean troop deployments related to the war in Ukraine, the NIS assessed that "the likelihood is markedly low while the North is in a phase of dialogue with U.S. President Trump." It added the caveat that the situation "remains fluid depending on changing circumstances." The agency also said it had obtained and was analyzing internal documents of North Korea's Workers' Party and missile blueprints.
Regarding the frequent media appearances of Kim Ju-ae, Kim's daughter, the NIS reported that it views the exposure as "aimed at establishing her as a leader in the minds of North Koreans," adding that it sees her as "effectively at the stage of having been designated as successor."
Separately, indications were confirmed that the White House is making working-level preparations for U.S.-North Korea talks. Kelly McKeague, director of the U.S. Defense Department's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, said during a video discussion hosted on the 31st of last month by the National Committee on North Korea, a private organization based in Washington, that he had received an inquiry from the White House asking what steps the DPAA could take if Trump reached an agreement with Kim.
McKeague said he replied that the agency was "prepared" to cooperate with North Korea to recover the remains of U.S. troops killed or taken prisoner during the 1950-53 Korean War. He also said he had explained to the White House that, first, it would be very helpful for North Korea to hand over remains in its possession to the United States, and second, that it would help to resume joint field recovery operations, which were last conducted in 2005.
