US North Korea Nuclear Envoy "Expects Cooperation with Korea Including End-of-War Declaration... North Korea Must Come to Dialogue"

Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, Holds Private Talks with Noh Kyu-duk, Director of Peace Negotiations Headquarters

Noh Kyu-duk, Director General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, held a consultation on North Korea's nuclear issues on the morning of the 24th at the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Kim is speaking during the doorstepping immediately after the consultation. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Sung Kim, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea at the State Department, said on the 24th, "We look forward to continuing to cooperate in exploring various ideas and initiatives, including South Korea's proposal for a declaration of the end of the war."

Kim, who visited South Korea the day before for consultations with the U.S.-South Korea senior nuclear envoys, made the remarks after a private meeting with Noh Kyu-duk, Director General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the morning of the same day. This visit came just over a week after a meeting among the senior nuclear envoys of the U.S., South Korea, and Japan held in the U.S. on the 18th (local time), where they gathered to discuss North Korea issues.

He said, "We remain ready to meet North Korea unconditionally and have made it clear that the U.S. has no hostile intent toward North Korea," adding, "We hope North Korea will respond positively."

However, regarding North Korea's missile launches, including submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), Kim said, "The recent ballistic missile launches from Pyongyang are concerning and counterproductive to making sustained progress toward peace on the Korean Peninsula," adding, "These launches violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to neighboring countries and the international community." He also urged North Korea to cease such provocations and other destabilizing actions and participate in dialogue, emphasizing the U.S.'s willingness to provide humanitarian aid to assist vulnerable groups within North Korea.

Director General Noh said, "In continuation of consultations held in Washington, we had serious and in-depth discussions today with Representative Kim regarding the proposal for a declaration of the end of the war," adding, "Based on this, the two countries agreed to continue pursuing various engagement measures with North Korea, including humanitarian cooperation and meaningful confidence-building measures."

He continued, "We reaffirmed the joint position of both countries that all issues, including North Korea's concerns, can be discussed when dialogue with North Korea resumes," and said, "Since the U.S. government has continuously expressed its willingness for dialogue at various levels, we hope North Korea will respond promptly."

The two senior nuclear envoys of the U.S. and South Korea reportedly agreed to hold additional consultations soon to review the implementation status of follow-up measures from this meeting.