Top US, South Korean Officials Discuss Return To Nuclear Talks With N. Korea - State Dept.

Top US, South Korean Officials Discuss Return to Nuclear Talks With N. Korea - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2021) US Deputy of State Wendy Sherman met with Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon-Jae-in and other senior officials in Seoul on Thursday to discuss the need to return to negotiations with Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program, State Department spokesman Ned price said.

"Deputy Secretary Sherman and President Moon agreed on the importance of consultations to address Democratic People's Republic of Korea issues," Price said in a statement.

While in Seoul, Sherman also discussed the issue denuclearizing the peninsula with Foreign Minister Chung.

"The Deputy Secretary and the Foreign Minister also reaffirmed that diplomacy and dialogue are essential to achieving complete denuclearization of and establishing permanent peace on the Korean peninsula," Price said.

Likewise, during her meeting with Minister of Unification Lee In-young and Vice Minister of Unification Choi Young-joon, the three discussed "their shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Price said.

Sherman's meetings with top Korean officials also touched on cooperation on combatting COVID-19, trade, climate change, human rights and other issues, including the situation in Myanmar, Price said.

The dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, as well as the inter-Korean dialogue, have been stalled since the failed February 2019 summit in Hanoi, during which the United States demanded more decisive steps from North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, while Pyongyang accused the United States of not responding to prior commitments. Further denuclearization talks in Sweden in October 2019 failed to break the deadlock.