Politics
10:54, 25-May-2018
US, ROK to pursue talks between Washington and Pyongyang
["china"]
Share
Copied
The foreign ministers of the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) agreed to continue working towards creating the right conditions for the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to talk, the ROK's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The ROK's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a phone call and made the remarks after US President Donald Trump called off a June summit with the DPRK, the statement said.
Read more:
The ROK's President Moon Jae-in expressed deep regret on Trump's decision to cancel the summit, the Yonhap news agency reported citing the Blue House executive office.
The ROK's President Moon Jae-in listens as US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, May 22, 2018. /VCG Photo
The ROK's President Moon Jae-in listens as US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, May 22, 2018. /VCG Photo
"I am very perplexed and it is very regrettable that the North Korea (DPRK)-US summit will not be held on June 12 when it was scheduled to be held," Moon was quoted as saying at a meeting with his top security officials.
Yonhap said Moon urged direct talks between Trump and Kim and said denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula should not be delayed by the decision to call off the summit.
The ROK's unification minister said Friday that Seoul will press ahead with improving ties with the DPRK.
"Our government will do its part in carrying out the Panmunjom Declaration," Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told reporters according to Yonhap, referring to the landmark agreement to bolster ties and push towards denuclearization signed last month by Kim and Moon.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) and the ROK's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha make their way out of the Benjamin Franklin Room after a joint press conference at the State Department in Washington, DC, May 11, 2018. /VCG Photo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) and the ROK's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha make their way out of the Benjamin Franklin Room after a joint press conference at the State Department in Washington, DC, May 11, 2018. /VCG Photo
"It appears that (the DPRK) remains sincere in implementing the agreement and making efforts on denuclearization and peace building," he added.
The DPRK earlier responded it was still willing to talk to the US and also described Trump's decision as "extremely regrettable."
Read more:
Meanwhile, the DPRK on Thursday announced it has dismantled its Punggye-ri nuclear test site.
(With inputs from agencies)