The United States is preparing “specific asks” in a timeline that will be presented to North Korean officials as a result of the recent historic summit, Reuters reported.
The news agency, citing an unnamed U.S. defense official, reported that the U.S. hopes the presentation will show Pyongyang’s level of interest in denuclearizing.
“There will be specific asks and there will be a specific timeline when we present the North Koreans with our concept of what implementation of the summit agreement looks like,” the official reportedly said.
The Associated Press reported that the Koreas, in the meantime, are discussing the possible relocation of North Korea's long-range artillery systems away from the tense Korean border.
North Korea has deployed an estimated 1,000 artillery pieces along the border, posing a significant threat to Seoul and the metropolitan area.
In a speech marking the 68th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said that "moving (North Korea's) long-range artillery to the rear is under discussion," as he explained what types of good-will steps between the sides have been taken in recent months.
Lee's comments appear to be Seoul's first official confirmation of media reports that South Korea demanded that the North reposition its forward-deployed artillery pieces during inter-Korean military talks this month. Seoul's Defense Ministry, which has denied those reports, said it had no immediate comment on Lee's speech.
Also Monday, military officers from the two Koreas met to discuss how to fully restore their military hotline communication channels, according to the South's Defense Ministry. The results of the talks were expected later Monday.
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