Moon says France, U.N. can speed up denuclearization by easing sanctions: Yonhap

PARIS -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in stressed the need to ease international sanctions against North Korea when and if the communist state takes practical steps to denuclearize.

The call came in a bilateral summit with French President Emmanuel Macron where the South Korean leader asked France, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, to spearhead the move when conditions are met.

In a joint press conference following their summit, Macron emphasized the need to maintain international sanctions on the North to completely, verifiably and irreversibly denuclearize the communist state. He, however, said his country will support ways to further accelerate the denuclearization process if the North is, in fact, moving in that direction.

Moon agreed with the need to maintain pressure on the North until it denuclearizes, but said such pressure could or should be eased to encourage the impoverished North. "I believe the international community needs to provide assurances that North Korea has made the right choice to denuclearize and encourage North Korea to speed up the process," the South Korean president told the joint press conference.

Moon's remarks come amid an apparent tug of war between the United States and North Korea over when the North should be entitled to rewards for giving up its nuclear ambitions. Pyongyang is said to be demanding timely rewards for what it claims to be irreversible denuclearization steps it has already taken while Washington is insisting on maximum sanctions and pressure until the impoverished nation fully denuclearizes.

In his third bilateral summit with Moon, held in Pyongyang last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered to take additional denuclearization steps, including the dismantlement of the country's only nuclear test site, in the presence of international experts for verification.

"Chairman Kim Jong-un has said he is willing to not only halt the country's nuclear and missile tests and also dismantle its production facilities, but also dismantle all nuclear weapons and nuclear materials it currently possesses if the United States takes corresponding measures," the South Korean president told Macron in their meeting, according to Moon's chief press secretary, Yoon Young-chan.

"We must further encourage North Korea's denuclearization process by easing U.N. sanctions when and if we decide the North's denuclearization process has at least reached a point of no return, and I ask President Macron to play such a role as (the head of state of) a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council," Moon was quoted as saying.
(Yonhap)

Lim Chang-won Reporter cwlim34@ajunews.com

Lim Chang-won cwlim34@ajunews.com

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