Seoul Government Will Actively Seek Dialogue To Resolve North Korean Nuclear Issue

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Seoul Government Will Actively Seek Dialogue To Resolve North Korean Nuclear Issue

Feb. 21, 2018 (EIRNS)—Speaking today before the parliamentary steering committee, Chung Eui-yong, Chief of the South Korean Presidential National Security Committee, asserted that the Moon Jae-in government intends to take advantage of the momentum of inter-Korean dialogue created by North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics held in PyeongChang, to move forward “in a mutually-reinforcing way ... to help inter-Korean relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” Yonhap news agency reported.

He mentioned also that Seoul continues to cooperate with the international community and relies on its “strong alliance with Washington” to help achieve these aims. Moreover, he said, President Moon will seek to help realize “constructive” talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

Coinciding with these remarks by a representative of the President’s office, the Foreign Ministry released a statement announcing that

“we will push to enter into full-fledged dialogue while maintaining inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea talks as major pillars. We will seek consensus from the international community on the need to create a virtuous cycle, in that improving inter-Korean relations could translate into finding a solution to the North’s nuclear problem.”

The Foreign Ministry noted that once serious dialogue begins, it will then discuss with “relevant” countries, ways to denuclearize the North in a “comprehensive and step-by-step” manner and establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Separately, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha explained that inter-Korean talks should go hand-in-hand with dialogue for a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue. She particularly underscored the importance of the U.S. and Pyongyang meeting at the earliest possible date, to pave the way for thorough dialogue on denuclearization. “To this end,” she told lawmakers,

“the government will make efforts through various channels to persuade the North to come out for talks with the U.S. and also discuss detailed ways with the U.S. on a possible resumption of bilateral talks.”