Moon, Xi reaffirm joint efforts on North Korea nuclear issue

By Kim Rahn

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to increase cooperation to help the ongoing inter-Korean talks lead to a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday.

In a phone conversation, the two leaders reviewed the inter-Korean talks that took place two days ago over the North’s participation in PyeongChang Winter Olympics to be held next month.

“Xi welcomed the improvement of inter-Korean relations through the talks, saying he supported Moon and the South Korean government’s efforts for this,” Moon’s chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan said.

“They agreed to strengthen strategic communication and cooperation so the talks can go beyond the Olympics participation and lead to a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue, and peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

The Chinese president also agreed on Moon’s stance that improving inter-Korean relations and denuclearizing the peninsula should go together, while Moon expressed gratitude toward the Chinese government’s support for the talks, Yoon said.

With Xi’s support along with U.S. President Donald Trump’s, Moon’s peace overture is likely to gain momentum.

Moon asked Xi to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, as China will be the host for the next Games. Xi said he would make efforts for a smooth and successful transition of the sporting event.

It was the two leaders’ second phone conversation following one in May last year after Moon’s inauguration, and the first since they decided to establish a hotline for more direct communication during his visit to China last month.

During their summit at that time, they agreed on four principles over the North Korean nuclear issue: no war on the peninsula was acceptable; to firmly stick to the idea of the denuclearization of the peninsula; that all relevant problems should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and negotiations; and an improvement in inter-Korean relations would eventually help address these issues.