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| In this Feb. 2, 2018 file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with North Korean defectors where he talked with reporters about allowing the release of a secret memo on the FBI's role in the Russia inquiry, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. AP-Yonhap |
By Kim Yoo-chul
Washington is stepping up pressure on North Korea to make sure dialogue is the only way to resolve all "outstanding issues" between the countries.
Experts and political analysts in Seoul said "very little" has happened since the breakdown in Hanoi. They say the situation has worsened as the United States hasn't yet figured out how to break the current impasse in talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear program. The North is pushing the United States to ease sanctions in exchange for the minimal steps it has taken to denuclearize.
But senior Washington and Seoul officials are teaming up to pursue a "dual-track approach" and seek to simultaneously pursue dialogue whilst maintaining the current level of economic sanctions.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said early Tuesday (KST) North Korea "probably" violated United Nations resolutions with its recent missile launches. However, he didn't mention additional sanctions. Rather, Pompeo said the United States is focusing on the ultimate goal of denuclearization.
U.S. President Donald Trump's security adviser John Bolton, acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe viewed the North's missile launches as a violation of United Nations resolutions. But they didn't raise the issue of having Seoul, Washington and Tokyo meet for talks to discuss additional sanctions.
"It's important to know that Washington and Seoul are putting themselves in the role of trying to slow down pressure on North Korea that may affect the daily lives of North Korean citizens. North Korea is asked to return to the negotiating table," an aide to President Moon Jae-in told The Korea Times, Tuesday.
The presidential aide added despite little progress in nuclear talks, the United States and South Korea would pursue a "top-down approach" as "there are limits to nuclear negotiations conducted through a bottom-up diplomatic process."
"A top-down approach is the most suitable and is very effective because the North's denuclearization can only be achieved by strong political determination by country leaders who have stakes in the process," according to the aide.
President Moon said South Korea will push forward its plan to send food products to the impoverished North to help North Korean citizens better cope with food shortages. The unification ministry is in discussions with U.S. food agencies to fix the details of the South's planned food provision such as the cost and delivery channels.
Trump, who is insisting that his denuclearization efforts will be very successful going into his 2020 reelection bid, is also trying to send "goodwill messages" to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un by playing down Pyongyang's missile tests.
"My people think it could have been a violation. I view it differently. North Korea fired off some small missiles, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me," Trump tweeted.
Current U.N. resolutions demand that North Korea not launch any ballistic missiles. Back in October 2006, the U.N. responded to North Korea's first nuclear test by passing Resolution 1718 which imposed sanctions and demanded that North Korea "not conduct any further nuclear tests or launch of a ballistic missile."
Cheong Wa Dae said the presidential office does not have the latest updates on the North Korean matter. President Moon is expected to make his special announcement on North Korea during his visit to three North European countries next week including Sweden, Finland and Norway.
