▲ Former President Moon Jae-in delivers a keynote speech at the U.S. think tank RAND Corp. in Los Angeles in this photo captured from Moon's Facebook account. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

ex-president-N Korea

Ex-President Moon says Trump's China visit could offer momentum for Korean Peninsula peace

LOS ANGELES, March 8 (Yonhap) -- Former President Moon Jae-in has said U.S. President Donald Trump's planned visit to China could provide fresh momentum for peace on the Korean Peninsula, calling on Washington and Pyongyang to resume talks.

Moon, who helped mediate Trump's historic summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018 and 2019, voiced hope for the resumption of stalled diplomacy. Trump is set to make a highly anticipated visit to China from March 31 to April 2.

"I think Trump's upcoming visit to China could provide valuable momentum to restart the clock for peace on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said during a keynote speech at the U.S. think tank RAND Corp. in Los Angeles on Friday (local time).

Moon urged Trump to make a determination to resume the stalled negotiations with North Korea in order to help promote regional peace.

"If (Trump) opens a new path toward peace on the Korean Peninsula, it would remain a lasting achievement in the world history as that of a 'peacemaker,'" he said.

He also called on the North Korean leader to accept dialogue offers extended by Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

"Isolation and confrontation cannot secure the future of North Korea," Moon said. "I hope (Kim) will have the courage to return to talks and move forward on the path of peace and prosperity."

Trump and Kim held three in-person meetings during Trump's first term: the first in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019 and the third at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019.

During a key ruling party congress last month, Kim left the door open to possible dialogue with the U.S. if Washington abandons what Pyongyang calls its "hostile policy." In response, the White House has said Trump remains open to talks with Kim "without any preconditions."

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