Trump: "North Korea Must Hurry Denuclearization... It Will Be the Best Opportunity"

North Korea's Series of Ballistic Missile Tests This Year "Disappointing Sign"
"Denuclearization Needed to Utilize North Korea's Potential," Emphasized

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Former U.S. President Donald Trump described North Korea's series of ballistic missile test launches this year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), as a "disappointing sign" and said, "North Korea must denuclearize quickly and urgently."

Former President Trump made these remarks in a video keynote speech sent to the "Summit 2022 and Leadership Conference" hosted by the Unification Church-related organization Universal Peace Federation (UPF) on the 12th.

Former President Trump said, "North Korea has conducted 31 missile tests, including the longest-range missiles since 2017," and added, "Denuclearization will not be the greatest risk for North Korea but its greatest opportunity." He emphasized that North Korea has endless potential, but to harness it, denuclearization is necessary. He stated, "For progress to be made (in denuclearization), North Korea must move away from attacks and provocations and continue on the path we started together during my administration."

He continued, "A few days after the presidential election, President Obama said that the greatest fear was a war breaking out in North Korea and expressed the opinion that war was becoming a reality," adding, "If the situation had not changed, we would certainly have been heading toward war."

Regarding the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he said, "It was a horrific crime that shocked the entire world," and expressed, "Prime Minister Abe was a good friend. I extend my deepest condolences to his family and the entire Japanese people."

About the Quad, which is regarded as a consultative body to check China, he said, "I worked closely with Prime Minister Abe and confronted China’s aggression in a way different from past presidents."