| U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman bumps elbows with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun prior to their talks at the foreign ministry building in central Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
By Jung Da-min
Washington is seeking to build reliable and constructive relations with Pyongyang, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Friday, pressuring the reclusive regime to come back to the negotiating table.
Her remark came after she and Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun had met in Seoul over pending security issues, including the denuclearization of North Korea, follow-up measures of the South Korea-U.S. summit held in late May and other regional issues such as relations with China. The global issue of climate change and how the two countries could work together to address it was also on the agenda.
Sherman said that the U.S. and South Korea remain committed to working together toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. She also told reporters that the U.S.'s North Korea policy is based on deep consultation with South Korea and with Japan, adding the U.S. will be committed to trilateral cooperation when working on North Korea issues.
"We are looking forward to a reliable, predictable, constructive way forward with the DPRK," Sherman said. The DPRK, or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is the official name of North Korea.
"As the first vice foreign minister noted, we have offered to sit and dialogue with the North Koreans, and we're waiting to hear from them. And as he also has said, we all feel for the people of the DPRK, who are indeed, facing all the most difficult circumstances given the pandemic, and what it means as well for their food security. We only hope for a better outcome for the people of the DPRK."
Choi said, "Deputy Secretary Sherman and I appreciated that the Republic of Korea-U.S. summit was held early after the Biden administration took office, and yielded significant achievements such as termination of the U.S. missile guidelines on South Korea and cooperation in vaccine supply chains. We have agreed to work closely together to continue our faithful implementation."
"We have shared the view that bilateral cooperation between South Korea and the United States is necessary for early resumption of dialogue with North Korea in order to make substantial progress toward the goal of complete denuclearization and establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula."
| U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman speaks during her meeting with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun at the foreign ministry building in central Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Sherman's strategic talks with Choi were held during her first visit to South Korea since taking office. The two had held a previous bilateral meeting in Washington, D.C., in early June. The two also met earlier this week in Tokyo, for the first trilateral meeting of the vice foreign ministers of the U.S., South Korea and Japan since U.S. President Joe Biden took office.
Sherman also met with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. After wrapping up her schedule in Korea, Sherman is also set to visit China's port city of Tianjin, Saturday.
In her meeting with Choi, the U.S. deputy secretary said, "I expect we will continue to discuss regional challenges, including actions that run counter to the interests of the United States and the Republic of Korea and threaten to undermine the rules-based international order," which was seen among diplomatic watchers to be referring to China's growing assertiveness in the region. Sherman also said she will discuss North Korea issues with China during her visit to Tianjin.
"In terms of China and DPRK, I have no doubt that we will discuss the DPRK in my conversations in Tianjin in a few days. China certainly has interests and thoughts, and I will share what I hear with the Republic of Korea and Japan as part of our ongoing consultations," she told reporters.
When asked whether she was planning to suggest to Beijing any form of multilateral negotiation on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, such as four-party talks, Sherman said that thinking together about bringing the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is "certainly an area for cooperation," although the Biden administration has described its relationships with China as "obviously a complicated one."
Addressing the deepening conflicts between South Korea and Japan over historical issues and worsening diplomatic relations, Choi said South Korea remains committed to establishing a trilateral cooperation platform between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
"The trilateral cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan is a very important platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. It could play a leading role in dealing with global issues such as climate change, by combining the leadership of the U.S., capabilities of South Korea and financial resources of Japan," Choi said.