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The South Korean national flag flies over Cheong Wa Dae, which appears relatively quiet on Dec. 28 last year, a day before the presidential office's return to the compound. The presidential standard bearing a phoenix emblem is scheduled to be raised at midnight on Dec. 29. The photo shows Cheong Wa Dae as seen from the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, Seoul, on Dec. 28. /Photo by Park Seong-il

South Korea's presidential office said on Nov. 12 that a meeting between the United States and North Korea on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was unlikely.

While maintaining close communication with the United States and preparing for possible developments, the presidential office reiterated that it was "not considering" recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state.

A senior presidential official told reporters at the Chunchugwan press center that day, "We believe the likelihood is low, but of course we are preparing for the possibility and communicating extensively with the United States."

The official added, "We should not get too far ahead of ourselves when we do not know whether negotiations will actually take place." The official explained, "We are proceeding in basic communication with the United States."

The official also maintained a cautious stance on the possibility of U.S.-North Korea contact during or around the summits scheduled for Nov. 16-19. "Contact on the sidelines of ASEAN or APEC appears unlikely, and we do not know about the periods before or after," the official said. "Contact may be relatively more likely before or after the summits than during them."

Nevertheless, the official cautioned, "That does not mean the likelihood is high in absolute terms," adding, "We believe the overall likelihood is low."

The official also dismissed speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump might recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state if a U.S.-North Korea summit takes place.

"I think there is tremendous anticipation and interest surrounding U.S.-North Korea relations," the official said. "But recognition of North Korea as a nuclear-armed state is not something we are considering." The remarks made clear that, regardless of the possibility of dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, the South Korean government is not considering recognizing North Korea's nuclear-armed status.

                                                                                                         Park Young-hoon