TOP DIPLOMATS OF S.KOREA-U.S. MEET

[Anchor Lead]

Top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S. held a meeting in Washington and discussed North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and other pending issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula. While pledging to sternly deal with the North’s provocations, they also reiterated dialogue without preconditions and urged the regime to choose a better way.

[Pkg]

Foreign Minister Park Jin held a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken for the first time since he took office last month. The bilateral meeting focused on security issues including North Korean nuclear threats. Most of all, the two sides warned that Pyongyang will face stern international responses if it pushes ahead to make more provocations. Regarding Seoul-Washington alliance, the top diplomats announced plans to launch and operate discussion groups within weeks to coordinate military readiness postures and strengthen an expanded deterrent against the North. Park and Blinken also reiterated that South Korea and the U.S. have no intentions to be hostile to North Korea and that they are open to dialogue without preconditions. They also reaffirmed the stance to provide humanitarian aid and help the North address surging COVID-19 infections. Park, in particular, called on Pyongyang to opt for a better path, saying that it is now standing at a crossroads of confrontation or dialogue.

[Soundbite] Park Jin(Minister of Foreign Affairs)

Blinken said that pressure will continue until Pyongyang changes the direction and that the two allies are prepared to handle any situation.

[Soundbite] Tony Blinken(U.S. Secretary of State)

While stressing China’s role in resolving the North Korean nuclear problem, Park also noted the need to normalize the general security of military information agreement between South Korea and Japan. In relation, the White House said that during a meeting with Chinese Politburo member Yang Jiechi, national security advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized cooperation between Washington and Beijing in resolving North Korean issues.