Seoul: Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Sunday that any talks between North Korea and the United States will be difficult without South Korea's involvement. Kim made the remark during an interview with broadcaster KBS, acknowledging there are concerns South Korea could be overlooked in the event North Korea and the U.S. pursue a resumption of dialogue. According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim emphasized the importance of a strong cooperation regime between South Korea and the U.S., stating that "It will be difficult for North Korea to go to Washington without going through Seoul." This statement underlines Seoul's firm stance on ensuring its involvement in any negotiations concerning the Korean Peninsula. Kim also highlighted the necessity of establishing detailed guidelines on the North Korean nuclear issue with the incoming U.S. administration. He reiterated South Korea's unchanged position that North Korea must be completely denuclearized and that any dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea must be cl osely coordinated in advance between Seoul and Washington. Furthermore, Kim mentioned that even if President-elect Trump prioritizes personal diplomacy during his second term, he would still need to consider the positions of friendly nations. He pointed out that in the context of U.S.-North Korea talks, especially given North Korea's involvement in the conflict against Ukraine, the views of NATO and South Korea, referred to as the Republic of Korea, would be significant factors for consideration.