Jeong Dongyoung: "Trump's Willingness for North Korea-U.S. Dialogue Is a Window of Opportunity... Must Expand to Four-Party Talks with South and North Korea, the U.S., and China"

‘International Korean Peninsula Forum (GKF)’ Held

Jeong: “South Korea Must Facilitate North Korea-U.S. Dialogue as a Pacemaker”

“North Korea Advanced from 90g of Plutonium to 57 Nuclear Weapons”

“Approach Focusing on Complete Denuclearization Now Unsustainable”

“Ultimate Goal Is a Nuclear-Free Korean Peninsula”

Minister of Unification Jeong Dongyoung expressed optimism about U.S. President Donald Trump's recent willingness to resume North Korea-U.S. dialogue and the decision to scale back the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises. He stated, "Another major transformation has begun," and added, "What has opened is not a window of crisis, but a window of opportunity." He also reemphasized his peace initiative, highlighting that South Korea must act as a "pacemaker" to facilitate North Korea-U.S. dialogue and expand it into four-party talks involving South and North Korea, the United States, and China.

Jeong Dongyoung, Minister of Unification, is giving a greeting at the meeting of the heads of six major religious groups held on the 21st at Dalgabei in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the '2026 International Korean Peninsula Forum' held at the Westin Chosun Seoul on August 27, Minister Jeong stated, "We must not stand still, but continue to move forward to seize and create every opportunity for peace."

This is interpreted as Jeong viewing President Trump's continued messaging toward North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a turning point for the geopolitical situation on the Korean Peninsula. On August 15 (local time), President Trump posted a photo on Truth Social—a social network—of his meeting with Kim at Panmunjom in 2019. The following day, he stated that he had ordered the reduction of joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises, emphasizing his "very good relationship" with Kim. On August 19, he expressed his desire to meet Kim within the year. On August 24, he shared three photos taken with Kim during the 2018 Singapore North Korea-U.S. Summit and the 2019 Panmunjom meeting.

Minister Jeong also emphasized South Korea's role as a "pacemaker." He stated, "It is not enough to just watch the United States' moves; instead, we must take the initiative and act proactively to create space and make North Korea-U.S. dialogue happen." He continued, "Above all, we must facilitate North Korea-U.S. dialogue by taking on the pacemaker role."

He added, "We must focus all our capabilities to ensure that North Korea-U.S. dialogue does not stop there, but expands into four-party talks among South and North Korea, the United States, and China." He stressed, "Transforming the unstable armistice system into a peace regime through four-party talks is the fundamental solution to the Korean Peninsula issue."

Minister Jeong reiterated that, given the advanced state of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, the previous approach to denuclearization cannot continue as before. He referenced President Trump’s recent statement that North Korea possesses 57 nuclear weapons and said, "Even at this moment, North Korea’s nuclear capabilities continue to grow."

He explained, "Exactly 34 years ago—in May 1992—North Korea reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it had extracted 90 grams of plutonium from a 5-megawatt research reactor." He added, "There is a difference of 100,000 times between 90 grams and 57 nuclear warheads." He continued, "We need to reflect on what has transpired in the meantime."

Nevertheless, Minister Jeong said, "It is clear that an approach focused on complete denuclearization, as in the past, cannot be sustained any longer." He reiterated, "Transitioning to a peace regime is the way to end the unfinished war on the Korean Peninsula and, ultimately, move toward a nuclear-free peninsula."

Additionally, Minister Jeong described this as "a time that has returned for the Korean Peninsula," and stated, "The government is drawing a blueprint for transition to a peace regime on the Peninsula." He stressed, "The government must devise concrete measures at a pan-government level to discuss the Korean Peninsula peace regime, communicate strategically with relevant countries, and build domestic and international consensus for the establishment of a peace regime."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.