By Kim Bo-eun
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday denied reports that South Korea is seeking to ease international sanctions on the North, stating it is seeking exemptions in sanctions for inter-Korean exchanges.
Kang visited New York last week to brief the U.N. Security Council on the current situation with North Korea's denuclearization. Kang and National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, who made a separate visit to the White House to meet his U.S. counterpart John Bolton, allegedly sought for the sanctions on North Korea to be partially eased.
"(It was) not to ease sanctions, but to seek exemptions from sanctions needed for inter-Korean projects," Kang said in response to questions, upon returning from her U.S. trip.
The move came at a time North Korea's denuclearization process is stalled, without any measures being taken since last month's Singapore summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The U.S. has maintained that the sanctions will remain intact until North Korea achieves complete denuclearization.
Under such circumstances, South Korea needs to seek exemptions for costs involved in every inter-Korean project. Recently, an exemption from sanctions was granted for the costs of restoring a military communication line. The South is expected to have to seek another exemption for costs associated with opening and running a joint liaison office in the North's city of Gaeseong next month. In the meantime, economic projects such as connecting railways and roads are barred from making progress.
North Korea, in a media report last week, criticized President Moon Jae-in for not actively seeking to help Pyongyang in getting the sanctions lifted. Ending the sanctions is a prime concern of the North Korean leader, as the regime is now focusing on building its economy.
Kang said, "Given that talks between the U.S. and North and between the South and North should go together, South Korea and the U.S. need to communicate so that these talks are mutually reinforcing."
Meanwhile, regarding prospects of ending the 1950-53 Korean War on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September, Kang said South Korea is making efforts, but could not provide dates as to when the declaration ending the war would be made.
Pyongyang is seeking for the war to be ended as a means to protect its regime, but the U.S. stance is that this cannot happen until North Korea exhibits tangible efforts toward denuclearization.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday denied reports that South Korea is seeking to ease international sanctions on the North, stating it is seeking exemptions in sanctions for inter-Korean exchanges.
Kang visited New York last week to brief the U.N. Security Council on the current situation with North Korea's denuclearization. Kang and National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, who made a separate visit to the White House to meet his U.S. counterpart John Bolton, allegedly sought for the sanctions on North Korea to be partially eased.
"(It was) not to ease sanctions, but to seek exemptions from sanctions needed for inter-Korean projects," Kang said in response to questions, upon returning from her U.S. trip.
The move came at a time North Korea's denuclearization process is stalled, without any measures being taken since last month's Singapore summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The U.S. has maintained that the sanctions will remain intact until North Korea achieves complete denuclearization.
Under such circumstances, South Korea needs to seek exemptions for costs involved in every inter-Korean project. Recently, an exemption from sanctions was granted for the costs of restoring a military communication line. The South is expected to have to seek another exemption for costs associated with opening and running a joint liaison office in the North's city of Gaeseong next month. In the meantime, economic projects such as connecting railways and roads are barred from making progress.
North Korea, in a media report last week, criticized President Moon Jae-in for not actively seeking to help Pyongyang in getting the sanctions lifted. Ending the sanctions is a prime concern of the North Korean leader, as the regime is now focusing on building its economy.
Kang said, "Given that talks between the U.S. and North and between the South and North should go together, South Korea and the U.S. need to communicate so that these talks are mutually reinforcing."
Meanwhile, regarding prospects of ending the 1950-53 Korean War on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September, Kang said South Korea is making efforts, but could not provide dates as to when the declaration ending the war would be made.
Pyongyang is seeking for the war to be ended as a means to protect its regime, but the U.S. stance is that this cannot happen until North Korea exhibits tangible efforts toward denuclearization.
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