NIS Director Lee Jong-seok speaks to Rep. Lee In-young of the Democratic Party while appearing before the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee on Sept. 1, 2026. (pool photo)
South Korea’s intelligence agency told lawmakers that a North Korea-US summit “could take place at any time” and mentioned “signs of dialogue” between the two countries.At a closed-door plenary meeting of the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee on Monday, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said a summit “should be seen as possible at any time,” Rep. Youn Kun-young, the ruling Democratic Party’s ranking member on the committee, told the press in a separate briefing.“We haven’t confirmed any specific contact between North Korea and the US, but there are signs of dialogue,” Youn also quoted the NIS as saying.South Korea’s spy agency also addressed the possibility of North Korea sending additional troops to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine.“That likelihood is markedly lower while North Korea is engaged in dialogue with US President Donald Trump but could change with developments,” Youn said. This assessment came as Trump has been seeking to reboot talks with North Korea, highlighting his relationship with Kim and ordering a major reduction in a ROK-US joint military exercise on Aug. 16.Trump subsequently said that Kim had responded to his overtures and described their conversations as “very positive.”There are also indications the White House has begun making behind-the-scenes preparations for a possible summit with the North.Kelly McKeague, the director of the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, said during an online discussion hosted by the Washington-based National Committee on North Korea that the White House had asked the agency “what could we do from an ‘art of the possible’ if President Trump was able to enter into an agreement with the North Korean leader.”“I would say that it’s no different than the lead-up to the Singapore summit in 2018,” he said.“We explained to the White House that No. 1, it would be very helpful for North Korea to turn over remains that they are holding, and secondly to resume those joint field missions [in North Korea] that last occurred in 2005,” he added.Trump met Kim three times during his first term: in Singapore in June 2018, in Hanoi in February 2019, and in the DMZ truce village of Panmunjom in June 2019.South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed the issue in its own statement Tuesday.“With Washington, we have consistently declared our openness to dialogue with Pyongyang. We remain in close communication and continue to coordinate our overall North Korea policy, including efforts to resume dialogue,” the ministry said.By Yoo Young-jae, staff reporter; Chun Ho-sung, staff reporterPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
