The month of February will be critical to the denuclearization of North Korea, a high-level South Korean official familiar with the matter said Thursday.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity the official said North Korea’s attitude toward related issues appears to have changed from the past and that concerned parties must strive to keep momentum alive. 

“At this point, the outcome of the second US-North Korea summit is an important diplomatic goal for South Korea, and inter-Korean relations, and denuclearization will be dealt with at the summit,” the official said, adding that Seoul would communicate with the US in the run-up to the summit to ensure that South Korea’s position is taken into account in handling North Korea’s denuclearization.

Asked if he considers it likely that North Korea will offer to shut down the Yongbyon nuclear facility, he said such an offer would an important milestone, though it remains to be seen whether such a step would lead to a corresponding measure from the US.

Pyongyang has been demanding that the US take steps corresponding to its denuclearization measures, but the US maintains that the North’s steps have been insufficient and that sanctions will remain until complete denuclearization is achieved.

“In the past, talks with North Korea were one-channel so that if one (offer) was not accepted then the whole talks failed, but as North Korea has offered to shutdown (Yongbyon) first, there may be corresponding measures in the process,” said the official.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)