A national security adviser to the South Korean president has expressed doubt that a meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place in the near future, Reuters reports.
Oh Hyun-ju, deputy director of national security at the South Korean presidential office, said there were no concrete indications or confirmed information about such a meeting, despite media speculation during Trump's Asian tour.
The US leader has previously stressed that he is open to the possibility of new dialogue with the North Korean leader.
During his visit to South Korea this week, Trump will meet with President Lee Jae-myeon, with the talks between the two taking place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
One of the main topics of the meeting will be the trade agreement between Washington and Seoul. The two sides are seeking to finalize a preliminary agreement agreed in July after their first summit in August ended inconclusively.
Despite three rounds of trade talks this month, some key differences remain, including over the $350 billion investment package that is part of the pact. South Korean officials report some progress but acknowledge that a full agreement has not yet been reached.
Advisor Oh Hyun-ju concluded that it is unlikely that a final trade agreement will be signed during the upcoming meeting between Trump and Lee this week.