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Seoul: Time to push for nuclear talks without North Korea Seoul: Time to push for nuclear talks without North Korea
(35 minutes later)
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s president has questioned the role of long-dormant North Korean nuclear disarmament talks and says it is time that regional powers meet without the North. SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s president questioned the role of long-dormant North Korean nuclear disarmament talks, saying Friday that regional powers should meet without the North in the wake its recent nuclear test.
The so-called six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear program in return for aid remain stalled since December 2008. Pyongyang has since conducted three nuclear tests, including one on Jan. 6. The so-called six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear program in return for aid have been stalled since they were last held in December 2008. Pyongyang has since conducted three nuclear tests, including one on Jan. 6, sparking worries the country has made progress in its bomb program.
The six countries are the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan. The six countries are the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan.
President Park Geun-hye said Friday that it is time to push for a five-nation meeting without North Korea but did not offer specifics. In a meeting with top officials, South Korean President Park Geun-hye said it was time to look for “diverse, creative” ways to try to resolve the nuclear standoff, such as a five-nation meeting without North Korea. She did not offer specifics.
She urges China, the North’s last major ally, to try to make North Korea follow in Iran’s footsteps. “In the past, the six-party talks were useful as a tool to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue. But the question about their effectiveness cannot help being raised if the current situation — no talks — continues,” Park said, according to her office.
Teheran last year agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. It was not known if Park’s push for a five-nation meeting would happen soon. North Korea would likely respond angrily to any such meeting, and it is unlikely China, the North’s last major ally and biggest aid provider, and Russia, also a traditional ally, would quickly embrace Park’s proposal.
Park also urged China to take unspecified “effective” measures to make North Korea follow in the footsteps of Iran, which last year agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.