US Deputy Secretary of State and top nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for a 3-day visit, just hours after North Korea issued a statement claiming it had no intention of returning to denuclearization negotiations with the US.
Biegun spoke to reporters following his meetings with South Korean nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young, and reaffirmed the allies’ commitment to resolving the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang through diplomatic channels. He emphasized the US’ support for inter-Korean cooperation, saying that it was an “important component” to bring durable peace, transform relations and eliminate nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula.
Biegun’s visit could be interpreted as an effort to salvage nuclear talks with North Korea before the US presidential election in November, a move endorsed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Though Biegun expressed Washington’s openness to resuming negotiations with Pyongyang, he insisted that the US government did not request a meeting with North Korean officials for this particular visit. “When Chairman Kim appoints a counterpart to me who is prepared and empowered to negotiate on these issues, they will find us ready at that very moment. We look forward to continuing our work for a peaceful outcome on Korean Peninsula,” Biegun said.
In a statement released through the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), senior North Korean foreign ministry official Kwon Jong Gun reiterated North Korea’s position on the matter, saying that would not sit face to face with the US. He also ridiculed “nonsensical” calls by South Korea for revived negotiations between the US and North Korea, claiming that it has lost its relevance as a mediator.
Talks between Trump and Kim Jong-un collapsed last year with no agreement regarding denuclearization or the easing of UN sanctions on the country. Since then, North Korea has increased pressure on the South to work on improving inter-Korean economic ties even before the North dismantles its nuclear weapons program. However, when South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s government placed denuclearization as a precondition for restarting ventures between the two nations, the North turned increasingly harsh towards the South. Last month, Pyongyang abruptly cut off all communication lines with Seoul and blew up a joint liaison office in the border town of Kaesong, before suddenly suspending plans for military action against the South.
Korean Peninsula Coverage:
- US Accuses North Korea’s Foreign Trade Bank of Evading Sanctions
- North Korea Severs All Communication Channels With “Enemy” South
- Kim Yo-jong, Sister and Key Advisor To Kim Jong-un, Issues Military Threat to South Korea
- Inter-Korean Tensions Escalate, North Korea Says It Will Redeploy Troops to Border
- Kim Jong-un Suspends Plans for Military Action Against South Korea
Image Source: Reuters