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Seoul, Washington reaffirm goal of N.K. denuclearization

By Shin Hyon-hee

Top diplomats from Seoul and Washington reaffirmed their goal of denuclearizing North Korea Friday amid reports that Pyongyang is reactivating its atomic weapons programs while offering to resume long-stalled negotiations.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with U.S Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to discuss the two countries’ relations, Pyongyang’s nuclear program, the Syrian crisis and regional cooperation.

During the talks, Yun stressed the significance of close bilateral cooperation between South Korea and the U.S., as well as China’s greater role to “achieve substantial progress on North Korea’s denuclearization,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Kerry in response acknowledged Seoul’s consistent North Korea policy and suggested further cooperation to that end.

They also concurred that the communist regime should not be allowed to develop atomic weapons while calling for international aid, officials added.

In his first address to the General Assembly, Yun urged Pyongyang to forgo its declared pursuit of nuclear and economic development in tandem. He also called for greater international pressure to induce that change, citing Syria’s newly made commitments to relinquish its chemical arsenal.

“Like with Syria, the international community should forge united efforts to roll back the DPRK’s (North Korea’s) nuclear weapons programs to prevent the advent of another nuclear-armed state,” the minister said Friday.

“However, if the DPRK decides to give up its so-called parallel pursuit of economic development and nuclear armament, and in turn embarks on a path of change through concrete actions, the Republic of Korea stands ready to help North Korea.”

Backed by its prime ally Beijing, Pyongyang has recently been calling for high-level dialogue with Washington and a restart of six-nation denuclearization talks with South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.

But Yun’s remarks reflect Seoul and Washington’s firm demand for preemptive, stronger commitments from Pyongyang than those in the so-called Leap Day deal before any fresh round of talks.

On Feb. 29, 2012, the North agreed to put a moratorium on its nuclear enrichment program, stop atomic and missile tests, and let in IAEA inspectors in return for 240,000 tons of food aid from the U.S.

During a separate meeting earlier that day with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Yun praised Beijing’s ongoing diplomatic efforts but emphasized that Pyongyang needs to prove its sincerity toward a resumption of the six-party talks through action.

Wang, for its part, expressed expectations of Seoul’s “sustained efforts for inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation,” the ministry said.

At a news conference later on with Korean journalists, Yun said that though China calls for dialogue to resolve the North Korea issue as the host of the six-party talks, but it remains committed to its ally’s denuclearization.

Despite recent headway, cross-border relations are again seen facing a rough ride as satellite images and news reports showed that the North has expanded its nuclear facility in Yongbyon and restarted a graphite-moderated reactor to extract plutonium for atomic weapons.

The unruly state have also suddenly called off reunions of separated families that had been slated for last week and begun churning out criticism over Seoul officials’ remarks and decisions in recent weeks.

“It is with utmost regret that the DPRK postponed this reunion, which is a humanitarian event in nature, citing political reasons. Such an inhumane decision cannot be justified for any reason,” Yun said in the speech.

“I urge the DPRK to convene the family reunions as soon as possible to ease the pain and suffering of the Korean people as a whole.”

(heeshin@heraldcorp.com)