North Koreans were "surprised" President Donald Trump agreed to meet with Kim Jong Un so quickly, according to a former top diplomat.
In an interview with CNN, Joseph Yun, the former special representative for North Korea policy, said he welcomes plans for a summit between the two leaders.
"To be frank with you, I think they were a little bit surprised that Washington, President Trump readily accepted," Yun told CNN. "They thought it would take a little time."
"I'm very supportive of [Trump's] decision to engage at the highest levels," he added. "That is a great outcome."
Yun also discounted criticism a May meeting is too soon for the high-stakes summit.
"What I hope comes out of the summit is that President Trump and Kim Jong Un paint a broad brush of the framework of where we need to go, agree on some principles and agree to kick off a process," he told CNN.
"Process is better than no process, in my view."
Yun told CNN after the president accepted Kim's invitation, he contacted North Korean officials at the United Nations to encourage them to seize the opportunity — and even consider releasing three U.S. citizens imprisoned in North Korea.
"I pressed the point to them: This would be an incredibly good time for them to release those prisoners so that they can be reunited with their families," Yun told CNN. "And that, in itself, I told them, would be a very positive message."
He also asserted Trump will not be "played" by Kim.
"I think the goals are obvious," he told CNN, adding"a ton of homework" is being done to prepare.
Yun, however, concedes the talks might not go well and instead increase tensions on the Korean peninsula.
"I hope it doesn't happen," Yun told CNN. "But obviously, if the meeting doesn't go well, that's a possibility."
Yun retired from his position last month just weeks after Victor Cha dropped out of consideration for Trump's pick for ambassador to South Korea over policy differences.
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