(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeon Myung-hoon = In response to growing concerns about North Korea's acceptance of North Korea's nuclear weapons and South Korea's exclusion over U.S. President Donald Trump's recent active 'courting' of North Korea for the resumption of dialogue between North Korea and the United States, the Ministry of Unification emphasized that the most realistic alternative is to resume dialogue and stop nuclear weapons.
A high-ranking official from the Ministry of Unification met with reporters at the Seoul Government Complex on the 21st and said, "At this very moment, North Korea's nuclear capabilities are being strengthened and inter-Korean relations are blocked. What is the driving force to move this (North Korea nuclear issue) other than the resumption of dialogue between the United States and the United States?" He pointed out that the argument of excluding South Korea, or passing South Korea, is not effective in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.
At the same time, he expressed his expectations for Trump's plan for North Korea-US dialogue, saying, "Through North Korea-US dialogue, a grand idea will be circulated to change the fundamental problem, the unstable armistice system on the Korean Peninsula."
This official interpreted President Trump's recent decision to unilaterally reduce ROK-US joint exercises and avoidance of mentioning denuclearization as an "accurate response" to the conditions for dialogue presented by North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un at the 9th Workers' Party Congress in February.
He said that Chairman Kim had demanded recognition of the country's status as a nuclear state and the abolition of hostile policies against North Korea, and that "President Trump has sent a signal on those two things."
He said that North Korea also has an advantage that can be gained through dialogue with the United States, saying, "North Korea has said that it will not meet with President Trump if there is talk of denuclearization, so (if dialogue is successful) it will result in its possession of nuclear weapons being recognized, even if it is a reluctance."
In response to the point that President Trump's approach may resolve the U.S. nuclear threat, but tolerating North Korea's nuclear weapons increases South Korea's security concerns, this official emphasized that in order to resolve the nuclear issue, it must be stopped first.
This official said, “The nuclear car is speeding, and you have to tell it to ‘stop’ before it can go backwards. You can’t go backwards while it’s running.”
He went on to say, “As the process of North Korea’s nuclear program has been long, the process to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula is bound to be long,” and added, “I hope we will focus on stopping North Korea’s nuclear program instead of focusing on tolerating it.”
In response to the point that negotiations could end without resolving the nuclear threat to South Korea, he said, "In the process of discussing a peace regime, arms control, etc., should be put on the agenda for negotiations," but did not suggest a specific plan to achieve this.
Regarding North Korea's Workers' Party Director Kim Yo-jong's late-night speech in which he slandered President Lee Jae-myung by name the previous day, this official said, "For a peaceful coexistence peace system, North and South Korea must look in the same direction," and "there should be no denigration or distortion at that level."
The Ministry of Unification also responded to Director Kim's statement by saying, "We will not hesitate in any difficult situation and will unwaveringly and consistently pursue the policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula."
He then urged North Korea, "Please do not distort our will for peace on the Korean Peninsula and join us in the journey to transform the unstable armistice system into a peace system for the interests and safety of both North and South Korea."
