A signal for dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea?Trump picks 'North Korea expert' who was in charge of the first summit

U.S. President-elect Trump has selected Alex Wong, who was in charge of negotiating with North Korea in the first administration, as the White House's chief security assistant.

Trump said in a statement that Alex Wong helped negotiate a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a special deputy representative for North Korea in the past.

Wong was deeply involved in negotiating with North Korea during Trump's first term, serving as deputy secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs and as a special deputy representative for North Korea.

In particular, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accompanied Pyongyang in 2018 when he visited Pyongyang in person for follow-up negotiations at the Singapore summit.

Wong also emphasized the importance of establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula even after the Hanoi summit collapsed in 2019.

At the same time, he urged North Korea to denuclearize, saying that weapons of mass destruction are a destabilizing factor, not a safety valve for regime guarantees.

Some analysts say that Trump indirectly expressed his willingness to talk with North Korea when he selected Wong for an important post in the foreign affairs and security team.

Wong is a Harvard Law School graduate lawyer who has also been in charge of renting at Coupang Washington office since 2021.