Our top story this morning...<br />North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is reportedly sending a reply to President Trump's letter.<br />CNN says his top aide, Kim Yong-chol, is traveling to the U.S. this week, and is carrying Kim Jong-un's letter,... which suggests the envoy will meet not only his counterpart Pompeo... but Trump as well.<br />Oh Jung-hee reports. <br />The North Korean leader's right-hand man Kim Yong-chol, who's visiting Washington later this week, will be carrying Kim Jong-un's letter to President Trump.<br />That's according to CNN correspondent Will Ripley on Twitter.<br />He added, North Korean diplomats in the U.S. have not been told of the details,... which shows how much Kim's trip to Washington is veiled in secrecy.<br />The CNN reporter also said, Kim Yong-chol is not planning to visit the North Korean mission to the UN in New York.<br />The move is quite unprecedented as North Korean officials have mostly made stop-overs in New York to visit the mission, when traveling to the U.S.<br /><br />CNN had previously reported that the North's envoy is arriving in Washington this Thursday, staying overnight, and meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday.<br />The news channel added it is not clear whether he'll meet President Trump.<br />But given that Kim Jong-un's letter is reportedly on its way,... it's highly likely that Kim Yong-chol will meet Trump.<br />And that would be Kim Jong-un's reply to Trump's letter that was delivered over the weekend.<br /><br />The White House says a lot of positive things are happening and Trump looks forward to meeting Kim Jong-un once again.<br />But the U.S. State Department is keeping silent, making no confirmations on the latest reports about Kim Yong-chol's U.S. trip.<br />And pressure continues from the U.S. on North Korea to make denuclearization efforts.<br />In his speech at the State Department, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said... Washington is still waiting for Pyeongyang to take concrete steps to dismantle its nuclear weapons.<br />While top nuclear negotiators from North Korea and the U.S. will be sitting down for high-level talks this week, the key for them will be to find a middle ground between each of their demands and go a step closer to reaching a deal involving the North's tangible denuclearization steps and corresponding U.S. measures.<br />Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News. <br />
