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S Korea urges parallel talks and sanctions to rein in North Korea

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SEOUL: South Korea’s new president launched international efforts to defuse tension over North Korea’s weapons development on Thursday, urging both dialogue and sanctions while also aiming to ease Chinese anger about a US anti-missile system.


Moon Jae-In, a liberal former human rights lawyer, was sworn in on Wednesday and said in his first speech as president he would immediately address security tensions that have raised fears of war on the Korean peninsula.


Moon first spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping and later to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with how to respond to North Korea’s rapidly developing nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, dominating talks.


“The resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue must be comprehensive and sequential, with pressure and sanctions used in parallel with negotiations,” Moon’s spokesman, Yoon Young-Chan, quoted Moon as telling Xi.


“Sanctions against North Korea are also a means to bring the North to the negotiating table aimed at eliminating its nuclear weapons,” Yoon told a briefing, adding that Xi indicated his agreement. Moon has taken a more conciliatory line with North Korea than his conservative predecessors and advocates engagement. He has said he would be prepared to go to Pyongyang “if the conditions are right”.


Regional experts have believed for months that North Korea is preparing for its sixth nuclear test and was working to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the United States, presenting US President Donald Trump with perhaps his most pressing security issue.


Trump said in an interview last month major conflict with North Korea was possible though he would prefer a diplomatic outcome.


North Korea says it needs its weapons to defend itself against the United States which it says has pushed the region to the brink of nuclear war.


“Threats from North Korea’s nuclear and missile development have entered a new stage,” Japan’s Abe told Moon in their telephone call, according to Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda.


“How to respond to North Korea ... is an urgent issue. I would like to closely cooperate with the president to achieve the denuclearisation of North Korea,” Abe told Moon.


But Abe also said “dialogue for dialogue’s sake would be meaningless” and he called on North Korea to demonstrate “sincere and concrete action”, Hagiuda said, adding that Moon shared Abe’s views.


While South Korea, China and Japan all share worry about North Korea, ties between South Korea and China have been strained by South Korea’s decision to install a US anti-missile system in defence against the North.


China says the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) undermines its security as its powerful radar can probe deep into its territory.


China says the system does little to curb the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, which it has been pressing ahead with in defiance of US pressure and UN sanctions. — Reuters


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