S. Korean FM communicates results of inter-Korean talks to visiting U.S. lawmakers

SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- In a meeting with visiting U.S. lawmakers, South Korea's top diplomat on Monday discussed North Korea's participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and called for U.S. Congress' support for the successful hosting of the event. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met Senator Tammy Duckworth and Arizona Representative Ruben Gallego, both Democrat. Kang briefed them on the inter-Korean talks held last week and said she hopes the North's participation in the Olympics leads to improvement in inter-Korean relations and efforts to denuclearize North Korea, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She also called for Congress' sustained interest in and support for Seoul's efforts to build peace with Pyongyang through the Olympics, the ministry said. The lawmakers told Kang that "any forms of dialogue are better than no dialogue," according to the foreign ministry. They also committed support for inter-Korean talks and cooperation for the Olympics. Kang also requested Congress' backing for the advancement of the South Korea-U.S. relationship, as well as for peace-building on the Korean Peninsula. In return, the lawmakers promised congressional support on those matters. Also discussed in the meeting were legal issues facing South Korean adoptees in the U.S. Kang said some South Korean adoptees are living with fear of deportation, without having acquired U.S. citizenship because of institutional or family issues. She requested a Congressional review of the issues facing them, the ministry said. pbr@yna.co.kr (END)