North Korea offers nuclear program pause for talks

The two Koreas have agreed to an April summit after a rare Monday dinner meeting during which North Korea offered to pause its nuclear program. A 10-member delegation from South Korea met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss relations between the two countries and between the North and the United States. Chung Eui-yong, the presidential national security director who led the South’s delegation, said North Korean officials told him they’re ready for “heart-to-heart” talks with the United States regarding nuclear weapons and improving relations. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted his support: “Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The world is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!” Chung said North Korean officials also claimed they wouldn’t need to keep nuclear weapons if they received credible security guarantees and assured the South they wouldn’t use conventional or nuclear weapons against their neighbor. The South Korean presidential office said the two countries agreed to establish a telephone hotline between their leaders. Relations between the two countries improved following their joint participation in the recently ended Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.