US and China in N Korea pledge
Last updated: April 14, 2013 5:38 am
By Song Jung-a in Seoul and Geoff Dyer in Washington
US secretary of state John Kerry has called for dialogue with Pyongyang to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula, warning that it would be a “huge mistake” if the communist state fired off missiles in defiance of international pressure.
Mr Kerry visited Seoul on Friday, Beijing on Saturday and he was due to travel to Tokyo on Sunday amid mounting fears that North Korea could launch mid-range missiles after a barrage of belligerent threats over the past month.
In Beijing, Mr Kerry and Yang Jiechi, China’s foreign minister, said the US and China would work together to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons.
“We are able – the United States and China – to underscore our joint commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner,’’ Mr Kerry told reporters, according to Reuters. “We agreed that this is critically important for the stability of the region and indeed for the world and for all of our non-proliferation efforts,” he added.
The international community imposed tough sanctions on Pyongyang after Kim Jong-eun’s regime conducted a nuclear weapons test in February.
In Seoul on Friday, Mr Kerry described North Korea’s recent threats as “unacceptable by any standard” but said Washington was willing to resume talks if Pyongyang showed it was serious about winding down its nuclear programme.
“We have lowered our rhetoric significantly and we are attempting to find a way for reasonableness to prevail here,” Mr Kerry told reporters. “Our preference would be to get to talks” he added, noting that they could be conducted either directly with North Korea or through the “six-party” format also including China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.
His conciliatory comments came a day after Park Geun-hye, the South Korean president, offered dialogue with North Korea in a shift from her recent hawkish stance. Ms Park said Seoul was willing to “activate the trust-building process” on the peninsula.
Although the US and South Korean terms for any future talks remain unchanged, Mr Kerry’s comments mark a softening of the two allies’ stance. Tensions on the peninsula have been running high in recent weeks after the latest round of North Korean threats, which the US responded to by sending ballistic missile defence ships and nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers to South Korea. Ms Park also vowed to retaliate against any North Korean provocation.
“They are seeking an exit strategy from the current crisis,” said Kim Yong-hyun, professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul. “Tension keeps escalating. If things are left as they are, something unexpected could happen. Then, it could be more difficult to control the situation.”
Mr Kerry expressed concerns about such a possibility: “The greatest danger is that something happens and there is a response to that something and then things somehow inadvertently would get out of control. So we call on Kim Jong-eun to recognise that this is a moment for a responsible leadership . . . Kim Jong-eun needs to understand, as I think he probably does, what the outcome of a conflict would be.”
However, he downplayed a US intelligence report that said North Korea appears to have developed a nuclear weapon that can be delivered by missile: “It is inaccurate to suggest the DPRK has fully tested, developed or demonstrated capabilities that are articulated in that report.”
Pyongyang’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said North Korea would never abandon its nuclear weapons programme because of the “invariable ambition of the US to militarily invade”.
US and China in N Korea pledge - FT.com
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Looks like S Korea and US are finally backing down.
A wise move.
In the West, there is not much report about the prelude to this change. My rough reading from both east sources and west sources indicates that China first sent a delegation to SK. After that, SK president Park Geun-hye softened her gesture to NK. Now Kerry was just in China for the same matter. And thus the results.
One has to agree that China has payed a key role in maintaining the peace, and therefore the prosperity, of NE Asia, and that of the world in large.
I would further suggest US and SK stop their annual provocative military exercises. If NK dares step across 38 parallel, it's the final day for them. Else let them rot as is...
Last updated: April 14, 2013 5:38 am
By Song Jung-a in Seoul and Geoff Dyer in Washington
US secretary of state John Kerry has called for dialogue with Pyongyang to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula, warning that it would be a “huge mistake” if the communist state fired off missiles in defiance of international pressure.
Mr Kerry visited Seoul on Friday, Beijing on Saturday and he was due to travel to Tokyo on Sunday amid mounting fears that North Korea could launch mid-range missiles after a barrage of belligerent threats over the past month.
In Beijing, Mr Kerry and Yang Jiechi, China’s foreign minister, said the US and China would work together to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons.
“We are able – the United States and China – to underscore our joint commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner,’’ Mr Kerry told reporters, according to Reuters. “We agreed that this is critically important for the stability of the region and indeed for the world and for all of our non-proliferation efforts,” he added.
The international community imposed tough sanctions on Pyongyang after Kim Jong-eun’s regime conducted a nuclear weapons test in February.
In Seoul on Friday, Mr Kerry described North Korea’s recent threats as “unacceptable by any standard” but said Washington was willing to resume talks if Pyongyang showed it was serious about winding down its nuclear programme.
“We have lowered our rhetoric significantly and we are attempting to find a way for reasonableness to prevail here,” Mr Kerry told reporters. “Our preference would be to get to talks” he added, noting that they could be conducted either directly with North Korea or through the “six-party” format also including China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.
His conciliatory comments came a day after Park Geun-hye, the South Korean president, offered dialogue with North Korea in a shift from her recent hawkish stance. Ms Park said Seoul was willing to “activate the trust-building process” on the peninsula.
Although the US and South Korean terms for any future talks remain unchanged, Mr Kerry’s comments mark a softening of the two allies’ stance. Tensions on the peninsula have been running high in recent weeks after the latest round of North Korean threats, which the US responded to by sending ballistic missile defence ships and nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers to South Korea. Ms Park also vowed to retaliate against any North Korean provocation.
“They are seeking an exit strategy from the current crisis,” said Kim Yong-hyun, professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul. “Tension keeps escalating. If things are left as they are, something unexpected could happen. Then, it could be more difficult to control the situation.”
Mr Kerry expressed concerns about such a possibility: “The greatest danger is that something happens and there is a response to that something and then things somehow inadvertently would get out of control. So we call on Kim Jong-eun to recognise that this is a moment for a responsible leadership . . . Kim Jong-eun needs to understand, as I think he probably does, what the outcome of a conflict would be.”
However, he downplayed a US intelligence report that said North Korea appears to have developed a nuclear weapon that can be delivered by missile: “It is inaccurate to suggest the DPRK has fully tested, developed or demonstrated capabilities that are articulated in that report.”
Pyongyang’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said North Korea would never abandon its nuclear weapons programme because of the “invariable ambition of the US to militarily invade”.
US and China in N Korea pledge - FT.com
----
Looks like S Korea and US are finally backing down.
A wise move.
In the West, there is not much report about the prelude to this change. My rough reading from both east sources and west sources indicates that China first sent a delegation to SK. After that, SK president Park Geun-hye softened her gesture to NK. Now Kerry was just in China for the same matter. And thus the results.
One has to agree that China has payed a key role in maintaining the peace, and therefore the prosperity, of NE Asia, and that of the world in large.
I would further suggest US and SK stop their annual provocative military exercises. If NK dares step across 38 parallel, it's the final day for them. Else let them rot as is...
