The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Yoon faces strong political backlash after Tokyo summit

  • 3

    Woman killed in stopped car struck by bus on highway

  • 5

    Apple Pay's imminent launch in Korea draws mixed responses

  • 7

    ANALYSISYoon-Kishida summit may 'raise ceiling' for trilateral cooperation with US: expert

  • 9

    Land minister fortifies city building cooperation with Indonesia

  • 11

    UBS eyeing swoop for Credit Suisse, sources say, amid fears of banking contagion

  • 13

    Trump expects to be arrested Tuesday as DA eyes charges

  • 15

    Bitcoin extends super-rally amid SVB fiasco

  • 17

    Whisky sales at E-Mart outlets exceed soju sales in Jan.-Feb. period

  • 19

    Number of working Koreans aged 60 and above more than doubles in 10 years

  • 2

    Mask mandate on public transportation to end Monday

  • 4

    Koreans wish to work less than 40 hours per week: survey

  • 6

    Centre Pompidou's Korean branch to open in 63 Building

  • 8

    New EU trade policies unnerve Korean firms

  • 10

    North Korea fires ballistic missile as US bombers join drills

  • 12

    Could Doosan Robotics be valued at 1 trillion won in IPO?

  • 14

    INTERVIEWNorth Korean-born chef delights Southerners' taste buds, breaks down cultural barriers

  • 16

    Wartime sexual slavery, Dokdo not discussed in Yoon-Kishida summit: FM

  • 18

    N. Korea fires one SRBM towards East Sea: military

  • 20

    Number of int'l flights recovers to 70% of pre-COVID-19 level

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Tue, March 21, 2023 | 00:48
Editorial
Mounting skepticism
Posted : 2018-11-16 17:41
Updated : 2018-11-18 20:49
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
US, NK should swiftly resume nuclear talks

President Moon Jae-in met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Thursday, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits in Singapore.

The meeting came amid rising skepticism about North Korea's sincerity in regards to denuclearization, particularly after U.S. news reports of finding various "hidden" missile bases in North Korea, including the Sakkanmol base for short-range ballistic missiles located only 135 kilometers from Seoul. On Friday, media reports highlighted that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed the testing of a new "ultramodern tactical weapon."

This is the first time the North has publicly mentioned a weapon testing event attended by Kim since the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile in late November 2017. Although it was not known exactly what kind of a weapon it was, any mention of weapon testing could negatively affect the ongoing U.S.-North Korea nuclear negotiations.

To quell the mounting skepticism over Pyongyang's denuclearization, both the U.S. and North Korea need to get back to the negotiating table as soon as possible. A meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party, had been scheduled for earlier this month in New York before the U.S. midterm elections but was scrapped at the last minute.

Since then, there has not been much headway in resuming bilateral talks to narrow their differences in nuclear negotiations. Washington has maintained a firm stance on maintaining sanctions against North Korea, but Pyongyang has stressed the importance of "corresponding steps" from the U.S., such as an end of war declaration and easing of sanctions.

Amid the protracted deadlock in U.S.-North Korea talks, it was timely for Moon to get together with Pence and discuss how to proceed with efforts to accomplish the two countries' mutual aim of Pyongyang's denuclearization. The meeting came amid rising concerns about a rift in the Korea-U.S. alliance due to Seoul's rush for economic cooperation with Pyongyang.

Moon has also reiterated the need to ease sanctions on North Korea in various diplomatic settings recently. In a statement after the meeting, the White House said that the two countries noted the "importance of close coordination on North Korea-related matters, including on implementing sanctions and inter-Korean cooperation."

Pence asked for the South to play a bigger role as a mediator in nuclear negotiations. For this, it is important for Moon to adjust the pace of the economic projects with North Korea and maintain the priority on denuclearization.

The Moon-Pence meeting was also useful in that it showed the continued momentum for more talks between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea. After the talks with Moon, Pence mentioned the possibility of a second meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim sometime after Jan. 1, 2019. Trump also showed his optimism on North Korea in his latest Twitter message where he said the U.S. was fully aware about the missile sites that had emerged in some media reports and brushed it off as "fake news."

The U.S. and North Korea should resume high-level talks at an early date and set the right conditions for the second Trump-Kim meeting where the two countries should take firm steps to ensure North Korea's denuclearization.



 
LG Group
Top 10 Stories
1Woman killed in stopped car struck by bus on highway Woman killed in stopped car struck by bus on highway
2[INTERVIEW] North Korean-born chef delights Southerners' taste buds, breaks down cultural barriers INTERVIEWNorth Korean-born chef delights Southerners' taste buds, breaks down cultural barriers
3KAIST student becomes first Korean recipient of Apple Scholars fellowship KAIST student becomes first Korean recipient of Apple Scholars fellowship
4Commuters still wear masks despite end of mask mandate on public transportation Commuters still wear masks despite end of mask mandate on public transportation
5Public officials reluctant to dine with coworkers Public officials reluctant to dine with coworkers
6Korea sets record of half million economically inactive youth Korea sets record of half million economically inactive youth
7COVID-hit Myeong-dong bounces back as tourists return COVID-hit Myeong-dong bounces back as tourists return
8Brides in early 40s outnumber those in early 20s Brides in early 40s outnumber those in early 20s
9[Analysis] Yoon-Kishida meeting raises expectations of 3-way summit with ChinaAnalysisYoon-Kishida meeting raises expectations of 3-way summit with China
10Kazakhstan goes to polls in hopes of change Kazakhstan goes to polls in hopes of change
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] 'The Glory' actress Lim Ji-yeon says she wanted everyone to hate her character INTERVIEW'The Glory' actress Lim Ji-yeon says she wanted everyone to hate her character
2Competition among rookie boy groups to gain momentum Competition among rookie boy groups to gain momentum
3'Dansaekhwa' master's art museum to be prominent addition to Jeju Island's cultural fabric'Dansaekhwa' master's art museum to be prominent addition to Jeju Island's cultural fabric
4Film highlights discrimination against Chosun schools in Japan Film highlights discrimination against Chosun schools in Japan
5Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri team up for Netflix political drama 'Queenmaker' Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri team up for Netflix political drama 'Queenmaker'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group