UN Chief Welcomes US-North Korea Dialogue
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the meetings in Panmunjom on Sunday involving the leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (a.k.a. North Korea), the Republic of Korea, and the United States.
According to a UN statement, the UN Chief has particularly appreciated the announcement that North Korea and the United States will resume working-level dialogue.
For the first time since their last summit in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, broke down in February, both countries agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks.
Before crossing over, US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, posed for photographers in the heavily-fortified demilitarized zone.
It was great being with Chairman Kim Jong Un of North Korea this weekend. We had a great meeting, he looked really well and very healthy – I look forward to seeing him again soon….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2019
“It was great being with Chairman Kim Jong-Un of North Korea this weekend. We had a great meeting, he looked really well and very healthy. I look forward to seeing him again soon. In the meantime, our teams will be meeting to work on some solutions to very long term and persistent problems. No rush, but I am sure we will ultimately get there!” Trump tweeted.
“The Secretary-General fully supports the continued efforts of the parties to establish new relations towards sustainable peace, security and complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” according to the statement.
In 2017, according to the UN, Pyongyang launched its sixth and largest nuclear test since it began its programme in 2006, straining further US-North Korean relations during President Trump’s first year in office.
The following year, Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim met in Singapore, signing a joint statement vowing to pursue peace and complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The two met again in February 2018, but disagreements over sanction and denuclearization collapsed the summit early, yielding no agreement.
