Stalled Negotiations

[Anchor Lead]

Last week, North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said in a news conference that her country is mulling suspending nuclear negotiations with the U.S. In response, the presidential office in Seoul released a statement, saying that both North Korea and the U.S. will not return to the past after making much progress in their nuclear talks.

[Pkg]

The nation's top office revealed its assessment of North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's remarks in a news conference last Friday that the regime is mulling halting negotiations with the U.S. Regarding Choe's remarks that leader Kim Jong-un might make a big decision on Pyongyang's now suspended nuclear and missile activities, Cheong Wa Dae said that appears to be the vice minister's personal opinion. A high-ranking presidential official said the communist state and Washington have made too much progress to return to the past. He added both sides don't want to go back to the days of conflict and confrontation. His remarks indicate that the two sides will continue to hold negotiations and make diplomatic efforts, despite their war of nerves. As if to reflect the current situation, President Moon Jae-in didn't get specific about the denuclearization issue during his visit to three Southeast Asian nations last week.

[Soundbite] Pres. Moon Jae-in(Meeting with Korean expatriates in Malaysia (Mar. 12)) : "I will work harder to make Korea the nation you can be proud of. I will repay your support by creating a peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula."

The top office says through close cooperation with Washington, it will do its best to prevent Pyongyang from leaving the negotiations and to have North Korea-U.S. talks resumed quickly. Noting Seoul's efforts to pave the way for talks between North Korea and the U.S. last year, another high-level presidential official said now is the time for the two Koreas to hold dialogue. He added there will be ground-breaking changes this year, as Seoul and Pyongyang will fully push for their agreements, such as removing all guard posts and turning the Demilitarized Zone into a region of peace.