There is a strong hope within the South Korean government that Friday's inter-Korean summit will create a positive momentum for the anticipated U.S.-DPRK talks. President Moon Jae-in seeks a phased and comprehensive approach to Korean nuclear and reunification issues, and as a short-term goal, he is trying to create an amicable atmosphere between Seoul and Pyongyang to facilitate talks between the regional actors around the peninsula.

As intermediate goals, Moon is pursuing the establishment of a peace regime and the denuclearization in the Korean peninsula, possibly under the “action for action” principle. His long-term goal is peaceful coexistence between the south and the north through some form of confederation system in anticipation of eventual reunification.