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Mike Pence: N. Korea needs to take more important measures

Mike Pence: N. Korea needs to take more important measures

Posted November. 16, 2018 07:49,   

Updated November. 16, 2018 07:49

한국어

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has revealed that North Korea needs to engage in more important measures in the future. He emphasized the need for North Korea to actively participate in the request to inspect nuclear facilities for corresponding measures by the United States.

At the ASEAN summit in Singapore, Vice President Mike Pence met President Moon Jae-in on Thursday and said, “We don’t want to repeat the mistakes that prior administrations, frankly in both political parties, have made over the last several decades where promises are made, sanctions are lifted, economic support comes and then promises are broken.” Mr. Pence added saying, “Until we have a plan that is implemented to achieve complete, verifiable, irreversible, denuclearization (CVID), we’re going to keep the pressure on. We had made meaningful progress but much work remains.” President Moon, on the other hand, did not indicate the need to alleviate sanctions against North Korea to induce denuclearization of the North.

During the 34-minute meeting, Mr. Pence requested President Moon to engage in closer communications and discussions with North Korea. With the second summit with North Korea ahead, the United States is requesting inspection not only on the Punggye-ri nuclear test site but also on Yongbyon test facilities.

“We believe that the summit between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will likely occur after the 1st of the year,” said Mr. Pence. “The United States will work to ensure peace and security on the peninsula.”

“We will soon have North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to South Korea and the second U.S.-North Korea summit,” responded President Moon. “In particular, I anticipate that there will be a big progress in the process of complete denuclearization and peace of the Korean Peninsula once the second summit is held.”


Sang-Jun Han alwaysj@donga.com