South Korea's National Intelligence Service has detected signs that North Korea prepared for a possible summit with the United States around the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering, though it did not occur. A meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is highly likely sometime after the regular South Korea-U.S. military drill in March. The assessment was delivered during a closed-door parliamentary audit session.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported on November 4 during a closed-door parliamentary audit that it detected signs of North Korea preparing for a possible summit with the United States around the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering in Gyeongju last week, though the meeting did not take place. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before his APEC visit, but Pyongyang did not respond before Trump departed South Korea on Thursday.
Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the main opposition People Power Party said, "Although the much-anticipated North Korea-U.S. summit during APEC failed to materialize, various channels confirm that North Korea has been preparing behind the scenes for dialogue with the U.S.," adding that Pyongyang analyzed positions of U.S. administration working-level officials on North Korea. The NIS cited changes in Kim's rhetoric, noting he has refrained from directly mentioning nuclear armament since late September when hinting at conditional dialogue with the U.S.
The agency stated, "We assess that Kim Jong-un has the will for dialogue with the U.S. and will engage with the U.S. once conditions are met," and noted recent intelligence gathering by Pyongyang on high-level U.S. officials involved in North Korea affairs. The NIS added that Kim deliberated until the last minute on dispatching Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to China and Russia during Trump's October Asia tour.
Rep. Park Sun-won of the ruling Democratic Party said the NIS expects North Korea to pursue a summit with Trump after the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise in March next year, leveraging ties with Russia and improved relations with China. However, the NIS clarified it described March as a potential turning point for a Washington-Pyongyang summit, not a specific timing for talks.
On North Korea's role in the Ukraine war, the NIS reported around 5,000 construction troops have moved to Russia since September for likely infrastructure reconstruction. About 10,000 North Korean soldiers are deployed near the Russia-Ukraine border for surveillance, with an additional 1,000 military engineers sent for landmine removal. The agency sees no major health concerns for Kim, with his resting heart rate at around 80 beats per minute and reduced hypertension risk. Regarding Kim's daughter Ju-ae, the NIS said Pyongyang is solidifying her as the likely successor, citing her first participation this year in diplomatic events.
