Seoul, Washington agree on early revision of missile guidlines
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Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, right, shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during their meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila, the Philippines, Sunday. They assessed that the new sanctions by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) adopted against North Korea, Saturday, would be effective. / Yonhap
China renews protest against THAAD battery in S. Korea
By Yi Whan-woo
The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed to start early negotiations on revising a bilateral missile guidelines agreement to better cope with North Korea’s missile threats, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday.
The agreement comes after Washington accepted Seoul’s call in late July to rewrite the guidelines to extend the maximum allowable payload of a ballistic missile with an 800 kilometers range from 500 kilograms to 1 ton.
“There was a consensus about launching negotiations in a prompt manner while speeding up working-level discussions to hold Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group talks regularly,” the official told reporters after the meeting between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Manila, the Philippines.
The official, who asked not to be named, accompanied Kang in the bilateral talks.
Current missile guidelines ban South Korea from developing ballistic missiles with a range of over 800 kilometers and a payload exceeding 500 kilograms. The Moon Jae-in administration has sought to double the payload weight limit following North Korea’s test-launches of two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July.
Tillerson called on “enforcing” the new U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution imposed as punishment for Pyongyang’s ICBM tests, according to the official.
Kang and Tillerson assessed UNSC Resolution 2371, which was approved Saturday, as highly effective.
They also discussed other issues concerning security on the Korean Peninsula, such as Pyongyang’s refusal to respond to Seoul’s offer to resume military talks, July 21, and Red Cross talks, Aug. 1.
The ARF, an annual security forum, involves all six members of the dormant talks on Pyongyang’s denuclearization _ the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
Kang met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi later Sunday and discussed the dispute over the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea.
Wang said he finds it regretful that the Moon government recently decided to have four additional THAAD launchers set up in addition to two launchers already deployed.
“President Moon has been courteous toward the Chinese side and this is a good start for bilateral relations,” Wang said “But THAAD-related issues are something that we must point out regardless of the circumstances.”
Kang responded that the THAAD deployment was solely a “defensive measure” in the wake of North Korea’s evolving missile threats and growing public concerns in the South.
“It’s true there are difficulties in bilateral relations, but we should resolve them through dialogue. By doing so, I hope our relations can develop into a strategic partnership,” she said.
Pointing out that Aug. 24 marks the 25th anniversary the bilateral diplomatic treaty between the two countries, she paid a compliment to Wang for “playing an important role” in Seoul-Beijing ties.
Kang and Tillerson will hold their first joint talks with new Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Monday.
Kang and Kono will meet separately later the same day.
The topics to be discussed are North Korea’s military provocations, and possible countermeasures to be taken by the three allies.
The three top diplomats are expected to share thoughts on UNSC Resolution 2371 and how they can draw support from China and Russia to implement the sanctions.
Meanwhile, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho met Wang, Sunday.
Their meeting took place amid speculation that Pyongyang may be displeased with Beijing for backing the new resolution.
Although China opposed an oil embargo against North Korea, it voted for the toughest sanctions to date aimed at banning North Korea’s primary exports -- coal, iron ore and seafood.
A North Korean official told reporters that Ri and Wang shared thoughts on regional issues as well as bilateral relations during their one-hour meeting.
The official did not elaborate. But some diplomatic sources speculated that Ri may have lodged a protest with Wang for supporting UNSC Resolution 2371.
Ri said on his arrival in Manila, Saturday, that he had no plans to meet Kang, while Kang expected there would be a chance they could “run into each other.”
Kang said she will ask Ri to resume inter-Korean dialogue and suspend military provocations if she meets him.
“Please ask the North Korean delegation why it doesn't want to meet us,” she told reporters.