Seoul, June 9 (IANS) The South Korean foreign ministry on Tuesday reaffirmed its goal of denuclearising North Korea, following a summit between the leaders of Pyongyang and Beijing in which the subject apparently was not discussed.
In their summit held Monday in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to expand cooperation in various fields, according to Pyongyang’s state media. Notably absent, however, was any mention of nuclear issues or the broader situation on the Korean Peninsula.
During a regular press briefing in Seoul, foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il highlighted that the denuclearisation of North Korea “remains a consistent goal of the international community,” Yonhap News Agency reported.
“Our government will continue to uphold the goal of denuclearising the Korean Peninsula without wavering,” Park said.
He emphasised that China has repeatedly reaffirmed that its position on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged.
“We also note that the United States and China confirmed during their summit last month that the denuclearisation of North Korea is a shared objective,” the spokesperson added.
Park expressed hopes that exchanges and cooperation between the North and China, including Xi’s latest visit to Pyongyang, will “contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
Meanwhile, South Korea’s unification ministry on Tuesday flagged Chinese President Xi Jinping’s call for expanded military cooperation between Beijing and Pyongyang as something worth watching closely.
“It was the first known case in which the subject has been raised publicly,” a ministry official said, adding Seoul was monitoring the situation for any developments.
At Monday’s summit between Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Xi said China remained firmly committed to protecting North Korea’s interests and expanding practical cooperation across a broad range of areas, including the economy, trade, military, science and healthcare, according to China’s Xinhua News Agency.
North Korea’s media made no mention of military cooperation.
The official also noted Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun had accompanied Xi, unlike the Chinese leader’s 2019 visit to Pyongyang, when the defence minister was not part of the Chinese delegation. The inclusion this time, the official suggested, may signal Beijing’s intentions.
On the absence of any reference to North Korea’s nuclear programs or the Korean Peninsula situation, the official struck a cautious tone, saying it was too early to draw conclusions.
The official noted that such issues may have been discussed behind closed doors and simply not made public.
–IANS
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