North and South Korea hold talks to prepare for April summit

Officials from South Korea and North Korea are reportedly scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss preparations for a summit between the two nations scheduled for next month. 

Yonhap news agency in South Korea reported that the two sides will set a date and agenda for the meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 

“We will closely consult with the North to make the summit a success,” South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said, according to the report.

{mosads}The summit between the two nations was agreed to earlier this month, the latest development in a recent de-escalation of tensions between North and South Korea. It would be the third such meeting between the two countries, and the first since 2007. 

The planned meeting comes as tensions have appeared to ease between the U.S. and North Korea.

A South Korean official announced earlier this month that Trump had accepted an invitation from Kim to meet by May, and that North Korea had agreed to abandon its nuclear program.

The White House said the meeting wouldn’t happen “until we see concrete actions that match the words and the rhetoric of North Korea,” but later clarified it “fully expects” the meeting to take place.

Trump tweeted on Wednesday that there is now a “good chance” that Kim will do “what is right for his people and for humanity,” but cautioned that sanctions and pressure must be maintained on Pyongyang.