US urges North Korea denuclearization before 'shared goal' of ending war
Published Oct 30, 2018 08:31 am
By Reuters
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea must take steps toward verified denuclearization before achieving the “shared goal” of an official end to the 1950-53 Korean War, a U.S. envoy said on Monday.
U.S. special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun shakes hands with South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon during a meeting to discuss North Korea nuclear issues at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, October 29, 2018. Ahn Young-joon/Pool via REUTERS/ MANILA BULLETIN
Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for North Korea, was in Seoul to meet senior South Korean officials, including his counterpart, Lee Do-hoon, amid rising signs of discord between the allies on North Korea.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has forged ahead with efforts to engage with North Korea in recent months, raising U.S. concerns that Seoul could weaken pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed in broad terms to work toward denuclearization during an unprecedented June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, but has failed to satisfy U.S. demands for irreversible steps to scrap its arsenal, including a full disclosure of nuclear weapons and facilities.
In the talks in Seoul, Biegun said he was “absolutely certain” the United States and South Korea could work together to achieve their objective of North Korean denuclearization.
“We have a shared goal here, which is to bring an end to 70 years of war and hostilities on the Korean peninsula,” Biegun told Lee at the start of their meeting.
“And the primary requirement for us to get to the end point is to achieve final, fully, verified denuclearization of North Korea. I am absolutely confident this is within reach.”
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korean diplomatic source as saying on Monday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would likely meet a senior North Korea official in the United States next week to discuss denuclearization and plans for a second summit between the two countries.
U.S. special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun shakes hands with South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon during a meeting to discuss North Korea nuclear issues at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, October 29, 2018. Ahn Young-joon/Pool via REUTERS/ MANILA BULLETIN
Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for North Korea, was in Seoul to meet senior South Korean officials, including his counterpart, Lee Do-hoon, amid rising signs of discord between the allies on North Korea.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has forged ahead with efforts to engage with North Korea in recent months, raising U.S. concerns that Seoul could weaken pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed in broad terms to work toward denuclearization during an unprecedented June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, but has failed to satisfy U.S. demands for irreversible steps to scrap its arsenal, including a full disclosure of nuclear weapons and facilities.
In the talks in Seoul, Biegun said he was “absolutely certain” the United States and South Korea could work together to achieve their objective of North Korean denuclearization.
“We have a shared goal here, which is to bring an end to 70 years of war and hostilities on the Korean peninsula,” Biegun told Lee at the start of their meeting.
“And the primary requirement for us to get to the end point is to achieve final, fully, verified denuclearization of North Korea. I am absolutely confident this is within reach.”
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korean diplomatic source as saying on Monday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would likely meet a senior North Korea official in the United States next week to discuss denuclearization and plans for a second summit between the two countries.