North Korea wants to freeze nuclear weapons instead of dismantlement: former UN Chief

Ban Ki-moon, former U.N. Secretary-General and chief of a recently established government committee to fight fine dust, speaks at a Kwanhoon Club invitational panel discussion at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, also chief of a recently established committee to fight fine dust, said Tuesday he does not expect North Korea to give up nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a forum hosted by the Kwanhoon Club, a group of senior journalists, Ban shared his views on the issue of North Korea's denuclearization.

He said North Korea has not clearly stated the concept of complete denuclearization while making agreements with the South and the U.S. to gain time to avoid an economic crisis caused by international sanctions.

“There is no way that North Korea did not know that what South Korea and the U.S. meant by complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was the overall abolition of its nuclear capabilities in the past, present and future,” Ban said.

But U.S. President Donald Trump's firm response during the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi last month made North Korea's intention clear that it would not abandon nuclear weapons but freeze their development to make a deal with the U.S., he said.

“The breakdown of the talks was a disappointing result but the summit was not a failure in the long term in that Chairman Kim Jong-un's stance, as well as President Trump's stance, has become clear” Ban said.

“North Korea seems to be in confusion after the breakdown of the Hanoi summit and might take a harsher stance and further provocative actions, seeing the recent controversy on the North's withdrawal from the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong and partial return.”

He added that North Korea has not yet made a strategic determination, specifically on when and how to dismantle its nuclear weapons.

Ban also urged the current administration, led by President Moon Jae-in, to cooperate more with the international community, rather than unilaterally pushing forward with inter-Korean projects.

“It is not that I oppose the idea of inter-Korean economic projects themselves,” he said.

“But South Korea should cooperate closely with the international community as a former non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.”

Ban Ki-moon speaks during a panel discussion at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

During the following discussion, Ban also addressed fine dust pollution issues, sustainable development goals, as well as his non-political foundation launched March 5.

On March 21 during his meeting with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae, Ban accepted Moon's request to head a new government organization to tackle fine dust pollution.

It is expected to be formally launched April 22, Earth Day.

Ban will also head to China, Wednesday, as the Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia to attend its annual conference and meet Chinese leaders to discuss the fine dust issue.

During the discussion, Ban called for a nonpartisan approach to the issue and nationwide participation by people.

But he dismissed the likelihood of his entering into politics.

There were about 70 attendees at the forum, including journalists.