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S.Korea’s Moon says Trump deserves ‘big’ credit for North Korea talks

SEOUL — South Korean President Moon Jae-in credited United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Jan 10) for helping to spark the first inter-Korean talks in more than two years, and warned that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if provocations continued.

People watch a TV broadcasting South Korean President Moon Jae-in's speech during his New Year news conference, in Seoul, South Korea. Mr Moon credits United States President Donald Trump for helping to spark the first inter-Korean talks in more than two years, and warned that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if provocations continued. Photo: Reuters

People watch a TV broadcasting South Korean President Moon Jae-in's speech during his New Year news conference, in Seoul, South Korea. Mr Moon credits United States President Donald Trump for helping to spark the first inter-Korean talks in more than two years, and warned that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if provocations continued. Photo: Reuters

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SEOUL — South Korean President Moon Jae-in credited United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Jan 10) for helping to spark the first inter-Korean talks in more than two years, and warned that Pyongyang would face stronger sanctions if provocations continued.

“I think President Trump deserves big credit for bringing about the inter-Korean talks. I want to show my gratitude," Mr Moon told reporters at his New Year’s news conference. “It could be a resulting work of the US-led sanctions and pressure.”

The two Koreas held talks on Tuesday on the South Korean side of the demilitarised zone, which has divided the two nations since 1953, after a prolonged period of tension on the Korean peninsula over the North’s missile and nuclear programmes.

North Korea ramped up its missile launches last year and also conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, resulting in stronger international sanctions.

Tuesday’s talks, the first since December 2015, were held to resolve problems, revive military consultations, and avert accidental conflict.

The two Koreas agreed to hold multiple discussions on a number of issues, including between military officials from both sides, and Pyongyang said it would send a large delegation to next month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un exchanged threats and insults over the past year, raising fears of a new war on the peninsula.

South Korea and the US are technically still at war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.

Washington had raised concerns that the overtures by Pyongyang could drive a wedge between it and Seoul, but Mr Moon said his government did not differ with the US on how to respond to the threats posed by North Korea.

"This initial round of talks is for the improvement of relations between North and South Korea. Our task going forward is to draw North Korea to talks aimed at the denuclearisation of the North," Mr Moon said. "(It's) our basic stance that will never be given up."

He added that South Korea backs a peaceful resolution, saying that “war shouldn’t be repeated on Korean Peninsula.”

"We cannot say talks are the sole answer," Mr Moon said. "If North Korea engages in provocations again or does not show sincerity in resolving this issue, the international community will continue applying strong pressure and sanctions."

Still, he extended an olive branch, saying he was willing to sit with Mr Kim under the right conditions.

“But it can’t be a summit for the sake of summit,” Mr Moon said. “For a summit to happen, the right circumstances should be formed and some kind of outcome should be guaranteed. If those circumstances are met and the outcome is guaranteed, I’m ready to hold a summit with Kim anytime.”

However, Pyongyang said it would not discuss its nuclear weapons with Seoul because they were only aimed at Washington, not its “brethren” in South Korea, nor Russia or China, showing that a diplomatic breakthrough remained far off.

North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said all problems would be resolved through efforts by the Korean people alone.

"If the North and South abandon external forces and cooperate together, we will be able to fully solve all problems to match our people's needs and our joint prosperity," it said.

Lee Woo-young, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said it was wise of Mr Moon to praise Mr Trump, his sanctions and pressure campaign. 

"By doing that, he can help the US build logic for moving toward negotiations and turning around the state of affairs in the future, so when they were ready to talk to the North, they can say the North came out of isolation because the sanctions were effective."

The US still welcomed Tuesday’s talks as a first step to solving the North Korean nuclear crisis.

The US State Department said it would be interested in joining future talks, with the aim of denuclearising the North.

"Clearly this is a positive development," Mr Steve Goldstein, a spokesman for the US State Department said, adding: "We would like nuclear talks to occur; we want denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. This is a good first step in that process."

The US and Canada are set to host a conference of about 20 foreign ministers on Jan 16 in Vancouver to discuss North Korea, without the participation of China, Pyongyang's sole major ally and biggest trade partner. 

China would not attend the meeting and is resolutely opposed to it, said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang.

"It will only create divisions within the international community and harm joint efforts to appropriately resolve the Korean peninsula nuclear issue," he told a regular briefing on Wednesday. AGENCIES

 

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