Seoul sees dim prospects for US-North Korea talks at APEC

South Korea's presidential office dampened expectations Thursday of any diplomatic breakthrough between the United States and North Korea around the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled to take place in China.

Seoul indicated it holds scant hope for direct engagement between Washington and Pyongyang in the margins of the gathering, signalling low confidence in prospects for high-level contact during the regional event.

The assessment also suggests North Korea is unlikely to participate in activities associated with the APEC forum, underscoring the isolated position of the regime on regional economic cooperation initiatives.

The comments reflect ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula and the limited diplomatic pathways available for resolving differences between North Korea and Western powers. Seoul's measured tone suggests it does not anticipate the APEC summit to serve as a platform for breakthrough negotiations or dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.