Trump to South Korea: US Open to Talks with North at 'Appropriate Time'

WHITE HOUSE — 

U.S. President Donald Trump says he is open to talks with North Korea "at the appropriate time."

The White House says the president spoke by telephone Wednesday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

"The two leaders underscored the importance of continuing the maximum pressure campaign against North Korea," said a readout of the conversation issued by the office of Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

"President Trump expressed his openness to holding talks between the United States and North Korea at the appropriate time under the right circumstances," the statement said.

Moon's office first reported the conversation, which came a day after North and South Korea held their first talks in more than two years.

It was the second time the U.S. and South Korean leaders had spoken in less than a week.

A readout provided by the presidential Blue House in Seoul had a similar characterization, quoting Trump as telling Moon, "At appropriate times and circumstances, the United States is open if North Korea wants to talk."

The South Korean readout said Trump had agreed that there would be no military action while any talks were in progress.

Earlier Wednesday, Moon emphasized that the denuclearization of North Korea is the long-term goal of his efforts to engage with Pyongyang to participate in the upcoming Olympics, and to resume military talks.

"What we can do at the moment is improve inter-Korean relations, engage North Korea in dialogue, so that North Korea can return to the negotiation table for ultimately denuclearization," said Moon during South Korea's annual New Year's presidential press conference.

Inter-Korean talks

Moon described agreements reached during Tuesday's inter-Korean talks as a positive first step that could create a pause in provocations and give momentum to diplomacy.

After high-level delegations met for 11 hours, the two delegations agreed to restore an emergency communication hotline between their countries, and to hold military talks to resolve disputes and avert accidental conflict at a time when tensions are high over North Korea's efforts to develop nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.

The White House also confirmed Wednesday that Vice President Mike Pence would lead a high-level U.S. delegation attending the Winter Olympics next month in South Korea.

Credit to Trump

At his news conference, Moon credited Trump with helping facilitate the inter-Korean talks by increasing pressure through sanctions on the North Korean leadership.

But the South Korean leader said his approach, which entails reducing tensions through dialogue and engagement, differs from Trump's emphasis on pressuring the Kim Jong Un government with sanctions and the threat of military force.

South Korea, Moon said, wants to pursue denuclearization without risking a devastating war with North Korea that would put at risk millions of Koreans on both sides of the border.

"How can we de-escalate these issues and prevent a possible armed conflict, and while doing so bring North Korea to a dialogue? That is our current dilemma, and that requires a prudent approach," Moon said.

While the South Korean leader said his outreach to the North would not violate U.N. sanctions, critics say his engagement approach could reduce international pressure on the Kim government and weaken the U.S.-South Korean military alliance.

Trump had earlier been critical of the prospect of negotiating with a North Korean leadership that has broken past agreements to end its nuclear program in exchange for economic assistance and security guarantees. But this week, Trump called the inter-Korean talks "a good thing" that had come as a result of his "firm, strong" stance.

Brian Padden in Seoul and Steve Herman at the White House contributed to this report.

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