MOON PREPARES FOR UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in has returned to work after his four-day Chuseok break. He is now likely to focus on getting ready for his summit with President Trump at the United Nations General Assembly slated for next week in New York City. However, the presidential office said that the likelihood of a summit between Korea and Japan is very low.

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The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae has two main agendas this week - internal financial affairs and diplomacy for national security. With public opinion still raging against the appointment of Justice Minister Cho Kuk, the president plans to focus on prosecution and education reforms and preparation for the United Nations General Assembly and the Korea-U.S. summit slated for next week in New York City. While Pyongyang and Washington appear ready to resume working-level talks, President Moon will meet with his U.S. counterpart to seek concrete ways to facilitate the North Korea-U.S. talks. The South Korean president had stressed the importance of working-level negotiations for a third summit between North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump during his Independence Day address on August 15th.

[Soundbite] (PRES. MOON JAE-IN'S INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS) : "It will likely be the most crucial moment in the entire process of denuclearization and peace-building."

Cheong Wa Dae refrained from making any comments other than to say that the agenda for the South Korea-U.S. summit is being worked out. However, the presidential office did imply that a sit-down meeting between President Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Abe probably won't take place at the U.N. General Assembly. A key insider at Cheong Wa Dae said that South Korea should select and concentrate, which is why Seoul will focus on the hard-won summit with Washington. It appears that President Moon is determined to produce tangible outcomes at the upcoming summit with President Trump since it is the key reason for his visit to New York. It also means that he won't push for a Seoul-Tokyo summit as Japan has shown no change in its stance toward South Korea.