Moon asks Trump, Kim to take bold action
President Moon Jae-in makes his opening remarks in a weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Kim Yoo-chul
By Kim Yoo-chul
President Moon Jae-in urged U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to “act boldly” to follow through on Kim's denuclearization commitment made to Trump at their June 12 summit.
“If we want to advance nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, implementing measures to actually remove its nuclear warheads, the prerequisites are big plans and bold decisions by Trump and Kim,” Moon said Tuesday.
Moon said the two countries “must pull back” their deep-rooted distrust of each other as a result of their 70 years of “hostile relations.” He was referring to a series of measures to reduce the likelihood of geopolitical tension on the Korean Peninsula including the North's recent decision to stop provocative actions and the decision by Washington and Seoul to halt joint military exercises.
During a weekly cabinet meeting at the presidential office, Moon said South Korea was hoping to keep the on-again, off-again nuclear disarmament talks alive in the absence of a clear set of ultimate goals.
“The two Koreas agreed in April on complete denuclearization of the peninsula. The commitment was also reached by the leaders of the United States and North Korea in June. After the separate agreement, the North has taken measures such as dismantling its nuclear test site and missile engine test facility, and returned some of the remains of U.S. troops killed during the Korean War,” Moon said.
He stressed Seoul Korea has no choice but to mediate between the two countries to see progress towards the goal outlined at the summits in Singapore and the border truce village of Panmunjeom.
“Given such gestures, now it's time for genuine and sincere talks between Washington and Pyongyang,” Moon said, asking for the U.S. to apply corresponding steps.
South Korea has been asked to play a “mediator role” between Washington and Pyongyang at the request of Kim and Trump, according to Moon.
His remarks came a few hours after Trump began preparing to hold a second summit with the North's Kim, following a request by the North Korean leader for another encounter as the nuclear talks have stalled.
The agreement reached by Trump and Kim in June was vague and didn't include a detailed timeline on the North's denuclearization. Washington said there has been no evidence since the June agreement that Pyongyang has taken any “substantial and meaningful steps” toward eliminating its nuclear warheads, while Pyongyang said it needs some concessions in exchange for its “goodwill gestures.”
The North is pressing for an official peace agreement to end the Korean War, but some officials in Washington and Seoul have been concerned about signing a document that will legitimize Kim's control over the northern half of the peninsula without more detailed concessions.
During the Cabinet meeting, Moon said he will prioritize issues to further reduce military tensions between the two Koreas and commit to working closely toward putting an end to the hostile relations between the United States and North Korea at the upcoming Pyongyang summit that will run from Sept. 18 to 20.
Moon re-invited leaders of the opposition parties and National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang to travel to Pyongyang with him. On Monday, the main opposition party rejected his invitation, calling it a “political tactic.”