By Kim Rahn
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump have pledged close cooperation in every stage toward North Korea's nuclear disarmament, Cheong Wa Dae said, Friday.
Moon said he would make efforts to dismiss concerns over repeating past failure in dealing with North Korea's nuclear issue.
The two leaders talked about the Korean Peninsula issue over the phone, ahead of an inter-Korean summit slated for late April and a Washington-Pyongyang summit in May.
Moon and Trump agreed to cooperate closely in every stage toward denuclearization to encourage North Korea to take actions for the goal.
"Denuclearizing the peninsula is the most important goal and process to secure peace on the peninsula and in the world," Moon was quoted as saying by chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan. "It is our firm stance that we cannot give it up under any conditions and circumstances."
Moon said if he meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the April summit, he would try to create a good atmosphere to make the following Washington-Pyongyang summit successful.
"He told Trump he would take measures to dismiss concerns which arose from past failure," Yoon said, with the "past failure" meaning decades of standoff in which North Korea has broken promises to give up its nuclear programs.
Moon also briefed Trump on the visits to China, Russia and Japan by his envoys who had earlier met with Kim in Pyongyang ― National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon. He said these countries are actively supporting the bilateral talks between Trump and Kim, according to Yoon.
The two also talked about trade issues between the two nations. Moon called on Trump to exempt South Korea from the U.S.' proposed tariffs on imported steel products, saying the allies need to show firm cooperation ahead of the summits with North Korea.
Trump, in response, called for Moon's attention to the ongoing renegotiation of the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) so the South Korean side can take "flexible" stance, Yoon said.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump have pledged close cooperation in every stage toward North Korea's nuclear disarmament, Cheong Wa Dae said, Friday.
Moon said he would make efforts to dismiss concerns over repeating past failure in dealing with North Korea's nuclear issue.
The two leaders talked about the Korean Peninsula issue over the phone, ahead of an inter-Korean summit slated for late April and a Washington-Pyongyang summit in May.
Moon and Trump agreed to cooperate closely in every stage toward denuclearization to encourage North Korea to take actions for the goal.
"Denuclearizing the peninsula is the most important goal and process to secure peace on the peninsula and in the world," Moon was quoted as saying by chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan. "It is our firm stance that we cannot give it up under any conditions and circumstances."
Moon said if he meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the April summit, he would try to create a good atmosphere to make the following Washington-Pyongyang summit successful.
"He told Trump he would take measures to dismiss concerns which arose from past failure," Yoon said, with the "past failure" meaning decades of standoff in which North Korea has broken promises to give up its nuclear programs.
Moon also briefed Trump on the visits to China, Russia and Japan by his envoys who had earlier met with Kim in Pyongyang ― National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon. He said these countries are actively supporting the bilateral talks between Trump and Kim, according to Yoon.
The two also talked about trade issues between the two nations. Moon called on Trump to exempt South Korea from the U.S.' proposed tariffs on imported steel products, saying the allies need to show firm cooperation ahead of the summits with North Korea.
Trump, in response, called for Moon's attention to the ongoing renegotiation of the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) so the South Korean side can take "flexible" stance, Yoon said.
